A Tale of Two Demons
by Quinn Anderson
Summary: This is a Hiei x Kurama love story involving sexy foreigners, drinking contests, bar fights, and vodka. AKA, a typical Friday night.
1. Foreward

A/N: _Greetings, fellow lovers of yaoi. I'm sorry to stop your progress towards the beauty that is Hiei/Kurama slash, but I'm afraid I have an announcement. I used to have some long, angsty, emo message up here explaining what happened, but seeing as it turned out to be a bit of a good thing…I really can't complain. A couple of months ago, some girl that I used to be friends with got into a fight with me, stole my password onto this site, and deleted all of my stories while I was vacationing in Virginia._

_Yeah, that sucks, right? Well…kinda. I was devastated at first and very nearly went so far as to give out her pen name and sic my legions of fans on her, but then…the reviews started pouring in. Nearly every story of mine has as many, or more, reviews than it did before. Not to mention, prior to 'The Great Yaoi Drought' as I called the absence of my fics, I was only on like thirty favorites lists, and now I'm in the hundreds._

_Truthfully, this worked out well for me, so I'm done with complaining. Instead, I'm going to use this space to give you a lovely Hiei/Kurama drabble, **which is in no way connected to the story that will begin in chapter one of this fic, **and also remind you that I've started a livejournal for all of my work and have many important things posted on it, which you DO need to check out. Here's a lovely link, which needs only to have the spaces removed: http/ www . livejournal . com/users/hieiaijin1410/_

_Seriously, go check it out, and leave comments with questions and suggestions._

_Now, on to the drabble._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing in the way of Yu Yu Hakusho, and contrary to popular belief by those who hate us anime freaks, I don't wish I were Japanese. After all, who'd want to be stereotyped as an intelligent, beautiful Asian woman when they can be a lazy, fat, American_ _slut?_

…

The demon leaned forward slightly and caught the scent of roses and warm flesh. God, how that smell sent shivers down his spine. Would he ever be able to stop thinking about it for more than a moment at a time?

The beautiful man before him hesitantly raised a slender finger to his cheek, brushing it over the demon's pale skin. "Hiei…I…" The black-haired man hushed his partner by raising his lips to his in a gentle kiss. This was the only time their kiss would be gentle, for if they ever truly mated their demon blood would take control and feed their passion to a ravenous hunger.

That smell again…it filled the demon's nose, as everything about him seemed to be dissolving in a sea of ecstasy. It was so wonderful to feel his friend like this, to taste what he had never thought would be his.

"You don't know how beautiful you are," he whispered, his heart beating faster as he felt the redhead shiver every time their skin touched. He wanted to devour this man whole. He wanted to soak him in through his skin, wanted to mold their bodies together and make love to him, finally claiming him for himself.

But as their friends burst through the door of his partner's house, boisterously shoving their way inside and not noticing the two pull out of their intimate embrace, the dark-haired demon knew it would have to wait for another day.

The end.

A/N_: Yay! Drabble completed. Now, for the real fic, go on to chapter one: Part the First._


	2. Part the First

_OMG! I'm so fucking happy! This girl named Abby who is officially my best friend ever, hapenbed to have saved chapters one and two of my story on her computer! I present to you… chapter one! Now that I have half of what lost, I believe I can recreate everything else! A Tale of Two Demons shall live on! Screw my cousin! I dedicate this story to lovely, beautiful, wonderful, Abby! I would name a holiday after her if I had the power! WOOOOHOOOOO! BTW: If anyone else happened to have saved chapters three and four, I'd be ahppy to name a holiday after you too! I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY! _

_Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho, I own it not. Sadly, this is true._

…

Kurama resisted the urge to shield his eyes as the flashing lights inside the club nearly blinded him. Strobe lights glared in his face, mixed with smoke from a fog machine and bright colors resonating from a thousand neon signs. Take that and combine it with blaring techno music, and you've got yourself a migraine. Kurama sighed heavily as a wave of dizziness washed over him. It was going to be a long night if he couldn't learn to stomach this club.

It was just after Team Urameshi's victory at the Dark Tournament. They'd all returned to Japan ready to celebrate the return of their beloved Genkai and had chosen to go out for a night of fun. Kurama almost decided to skip the event when he found out they were going to one of the seedy clubs lining downtown Hiroshima city, but in the end, he'd been coerced into going by a rather insistent Botan (a baseball bat was involved…)

So here he was, standing in the doorway of a club that looked like something a cop was just itching to get a search warrant to. Kurama sighed and stared down at the greasy, dirty floor, wondering just how many drunks had puked on it in the last five minutes. The others; however, could not have been more excited about being there if Kurt Cobain (1) had come back to life specifically to put on a show in the portion of the bar devoted to karaoke.

Kuwabara was steadfastly pursuing Yukina in an attempt to get her to dance with him while simultaneously ducking the swings Hiei was making at his head for daring to come near his sister. Yusuke was being his usual gentlemanly self and groping Keiko discreetly, earning several blushes and savage smacks from the girl. Genkai was watching them all with a look of subtle amusement that was her trademark these days while Botan danced around with every cute boy in the vicinity.

Kurama merely stood near the club's bar, the epitome of a wallflower, watching the rest with a bored look. It wasn't that he wouldn't like to join in the fun, but Kurama had always been a rather reserved person when it came down to it. He was invited to plenty of parties by his female admirers but rarely decided to attend. If he really wanted to, Kurama could probably hang out with any number of people at their small high school, and yet, he chose to remain by himself.

Every now and then, Kurama would wonder why he always acted like such a loner when he was really a very sociable person if you got to know him. He simply did not want to let his true personality show through to anyone but his few select friends, and that was something he would never understand about himself. As if to make him feel worse about his withdrawn side, Youko Kurama was the exact opposite.

His other half was the definition of out-going. He was confident, charming, and more than a little bit sensual. Basically, he was everything that Kurama had within him but would never dare to show. More than once in the kitsune's life, he'd wished that he could bring a little more of Youko into him, but that was simply not possible. So, he resolved himself to a lifetime of watching others from a shadowy corner, talking only when it was necessary or he honestly had something to say.

His friends noticed his withdrawal, naturally, but they figured he was just a quite type rather than someone they should be trying to reach out to. The only one who really ever bothered to reach him was Hiei, and the fire demon was honestly not the best companion in the world. Not to mention that his idea of reaching out was making sure that if you died in battle, you're enemy would not get to eat your corpse afterwards. Hiei was always assuring him that his murderer would go hungry… and that was more than just a tad unsettling.

As if sensing he was being thought about, Hiei suddenly appeared at the bar carrying a nice chunk of fabric that he must have severed while chasing Kuwabara with his katana. The fire demon held the fabric as if it was a grand prize and smirked over at Kurama.

" You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself," Kurama commented wryly as he heard Kuwabara howling in the distance. It seems Hiei had gotten more from him than just a shred of his outfit.

" Indeed," Hiei answered, his smirk widening mischievously. " Unfortunately, I don't believe I can say the same for you, fox." Kurama's grin took on a hint of bitterness as he met Hiei's intensely crimson eyes.

" You know how I am about being in public, koorime. I don't suppose I'll ever be truly comfortable in crowds."

" Right. Because this is totally the kind of crowd you want to fit in with." The two of them glanced around the bar, noting several people completely passed out and drooling, as well as more than a few couples groping and slobbering over each other.

" That's a good point," Kurama laughed, " But I still feel like I shouldn't be this way. I see the people around me making friends, going to parties, going on dates, and well… a part of me wants that too." Hiei raised an eyebrow at him amusedly. " And what would _you_ do on a _date_, fox?" Kurama blushed ever so slightly and replied, " I don't know. Hang out, hold hands, talk about something other than insane demonic suicide missions… that sort of thing."

Hiei smirked again and replied, " We do that every time we're alone. The only difference between us and a normal couple is we're not courting each other and neither of us is female." Kurama fought to keep his mild blush from becoming a raging glow. He hadn't realized what he was saying until it was too late. His description of a date had been alarmingly close to being a description of a day with Hiei. Kurama had never noticed before, but Hiei and him were actually pretty good friends.

He would have realized it sooner, but it's hard to imagine being friends with someone who is constantly reminding you your death is near. Hiei liked to talk about that sort of thing, especially with Kurama. He had collected centuries worth of torture techniques, special weapon uses, and horror stories about the worst ways to die. When he told all this to the other members of Team Urameshi, they politely found an excuse to slip away so they could throw up discreetly, but Kurama was so used to such things, he barely even noticed.

Because of this, Hiei had learned that if he wanted someone to discuss this with, all he need do is look for Kurama. As much time as the two spent together, because it was spent in such a chilling way, Kurama hardly ever thought of it as hanging out. Now that he was really thinking about it, rarely did a day go by where he didn't see Hiei at some point.

Kurama watched Hiei discreetly, thinking over all the time they'd spent with each other. Even with Hiei's rather gruesome obsession with death, Kurama could honestly say he had a great time with the fire demon. Despite what everyone else thought, Hiei was not as emotionless as he seemed. Sure, he had a naturally calm perspective when it came to bad situations, but he certainly wasn't fearless. And while he did have a tendency to put things in the bluntest way possible, he wasn't without discretion.

Kurama had even picked up on signs of a sense of humor on a few occasions. Hiei's uncaring, monotone way of saying things always masked his wry levity, but you could hear it easily if you only knew how to listen. As Kurama studied Hiei's face, he began to notice things about it that he'd never picked up on before, since they'd rarely been this close to each other.

Hiei actually had a very sweet face if you took the time to really look at him. His eyes, as fierce as they initially appeared, were actually much closer to resembling dazzling garnets than they were to the pools of freshly spilt blood they were often compared to. His hair was so deeply black it actually had a deep blue sheen over it that made it look shiny and impossibly healthy. Not to mention, Hiei had lovely olive skin not only on his face but covering his entire body…

Kurama stopped himself abruptly as he realized his eyes had slid down from his friend's face to sweep over his body. Kurama blushed furiously and willed himself to look away, but found it much easier said than done. Hiei's body was deceptively lithe for the demonic strength it harbored inside. His delicate musculature showed plainly through his well-fitting black clothes and gave him a menacing look that betrayed his small size. Kurama had to admit that with his fierce, powerful stance and well-toned body, Hiei did not look like someone you should mess with.

Kurama mentally slapped himself and dragged his eyes from the lovely demon next to him. It was one thing to know the face of a friend well, but when you started staring at their body… Kurama shook his head slightly to clear a few incredibly inappropriate images from his mind. _What's gotten into me? _He wondered. _Why is my heart suddenly throbbing like this? _Kurama couldn't explain why, but his heartbeat had indeed increased rapidly.

Kurama felt his cheeks burn slightly as he remembered this happening on a few occasions before. One such occasion was during one of the moments the two had together when their other friends were off at school or on a mission. They were hanging out at Kurama's house one night, since his mother was away to visit her sister for the weekend and there was no risk of her walking in and wondering who the black-haired stranger was. Kurama had left the room for a moment to go do some little chore and came back to find Hiei completely asleep on his couch.

Hard as he tried to wake the fire demon, Hiei was utterly knocked out and Kurama was left wondering what to do. He could let Hiei sleep where he was and go up to his own room to sleep, but what would happen if Hiei woke up in the middle of the night? He would look around and see nothing but an dark, unfamiliar house with no Kurama in sight anywhere. Chances are, in the panic that would surely follow, Hiei would somehow find a way to cause a small, but noteworthy, Apocalypse.

So, Kurama did the only logical thing one could do in such a situation… He curled up on the couch next to his friend. Hiei was only occupying about half of the couch, but nonetheless Kurama was practically lying on top of him. From this surprisingly comfortable position, Kurama was given a lovely view of the fire demon from no more than three inches away. This was the first occasion of many occasions that Kurama found himself looking at Hiei with emotions he couldn't explain.

When they both woke up in the morning, Kurama was expecting a barrage of very uncomfortable questions to come from Hiei, but the fire demon seemed to have not realized there was anything wrong with their position. They'd carried on from there as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, so much so that Kurama began to tell himself that there really _wasn't _anything wrong. He'd never addressed his feelings that night again, and, gradually, they slipped into some forgotten corner of his mind only to be dredged up again whenever he had a moment to think.

Maybe he couldn't explain his strange feelings because he simply refused to, Kurama quietly admitted to himself. It could easily be a simple case of denial. Whatever it was, Kurama had a strange feeling that it would cause him many problems before the end.

To be continued.

_Yipee! First chapter is complete! Ah, I actually planned on having a bit more plot show up in this chapter, but sometimes it takes me longer to explain people's character and thoughts than I plan on. Oh well, I'll just add in everything else to the next chapter. BTW: For those of you who know my work, you are familiar with what I'm about to say. Reviews are absolutely required if you ever expect updates, and I'm super bitchy about it. Also, anyone with questions and/or comments about anything that I've written can email me if they wish and I'll be happy to answer. That's all for now!_

_(1) Kurt Cobain- The lead singer of the former rock band, Nirvana. The ten-year anniversary of his death was celebrated in '04 and I wore black that entire year. Anyone who doesn't worship Kurt Cobain in my presence will be shot. _


	3. Part the Second

_Eh, I'm still so sad about losing all of my reviews, but at least I didn't lose all of my stories. I knew it was a good idea to keep copies of them on my comp XD. Speaking of copies, this is the last chapter I got from that girl who saved my stories, so unless someone else saved chapters three and four, don't expect an update for a while. PLEASE REVIEW! _

_Disclaimer: Oy, disclaimers are Satan's minions in disguise. I own it not, peoples! I am Jack's cold sweat! (Only those who have seen the movie "Fight Club" will understand that.) _

…

Hiei's startlingly garnet eyes surveyed the club-goers around them with complete and utter boredom. He tried vainly to remember the reason why he'd agreed to come on this little field trip anyway, but his mind seemed to have thankfully blocked that derisive memory.

_Oh, wait, I remember now. I came because I knew the fox was going to be here, and he'd likely be bored enough to set stuff on fire if I didn't keep him company._ Hiei smirked slightly as he glanced over at his long-time demon companion.

Kurama had been staring off into the distance for quite some time now, occasionally glancing over at Hiei as if to make sure the only sane person in the room hadn't left him alone. The kitsune's eyes were so glazed over from sheer lack of interest, Hiei began to wonder if he'd somehow gone blind.

Hiei's smirk turned into one of the rare grins he allotted the world once every millennium as he saw Kurama shoot him a desperate look.

The look said quite plainly that Kurama honestly wouldn't mind if Hiei went a little psycho or tore apart the bar as long as that meant he could leave. The fire demon chuckled silently to himself as he almost succumbed to the temptation and gave the fox what he wanted. He would have done it if their friends weren't stumbling half-drunk around dance floor, obviously not in any condition to flee from a demon's wrath.

Yusuke had managed to convince the bartender that they were all over twenty-one, which wasn't difficult since the beefy guy serving the drinks didn't seem like he had more than a fourth grade education. Everyone, except for Genkai, who'd mysteriously disappeared, Kurama, and Hiei, was now soundly plastered. Even innocent little Keiko had resigned herself to a single drink, more than enough to knock a petite girl like her completely off her feet.

The two demons watched the drunken antics of their friends with more than just mild amusement. As horrible as it sounded, observing as their friends made total asses of themselves was by far the most entertaining thing they'd seen all night.

Hiei smirked as his mostly-sober sister, Yukina, still managed to easily elude the completely hammered Kuwabara even with five drinks to her name. Demons would always have an easier time with alcohol than humans, though Hiei had never tested the theory himself.

The fire demon had never seen any real point behind alcohol, since there were plenty of drinks that not only tasted better but also didn't leave you with severe depression or strange people to wake up next to.

Hiei tore his eyes away from the crowd, turning to Kurama to ask him what he thought about drinking but stopped short with his mouth hanging slightly open. Kurama's attention had been directed towards a group of females at the other end of the bar.

There were four of them, each dressed in something so revealing it would have made Hiei blush had he been any less able to control himself. They were grinning and winking at Kurama in a very suggestive way, turning to each other every now and then to whisper in each other's ears and giggle. Hiei was about to laugh at such an outrageous display, but then he caught the look on Kurama's face and stilled.

The fox was staring at the four women with an unmistakable look of longing in his emerald eyes, as if they possessed something he'd yearned for all his life. Hiei was surprised to feel his throat constrict painfully as he observed Kurama out of the corner of his eye. _Does he actually want those women to flirt with him? If I weren't here, would he have already gone over to them by now? _

Hiei was surprised by the hurt he heard in his inner voice, even though his calm face showed no such emotions. He was even more surprised when Kurama noticed that he was watching him and met his eyes full on, turning to face him completely. Hiei could see something that almost seemed like guilt buried deep within his friend's eyes and an intense longing that was almost unbearable.

Hiei quickly looked away and tried to still his racing heart. Kurama must be interested in those females. _Well, that makes sense, I suppose. He is a young, healthy male, so I guess that's a normal reaction. Still… why do I feel as if I'm somehow breaking in two?_ Hiei closed his eyes tightly for no more than an instant before turning away from Kurama completely. He could still feel the kitsune's gaze on him, but he ignored it.

_Why does it bother me so much that Kurama is interested in those women? He just finished telling me that it'd be nice to go on a date some time… Shouldn't that have been my first clue!_ Hiei was again amazed at the vehemence with which his thoughts now came.

He was having an almost violent reaction to the simplest of circumstances. He'd seen people hit on Kurama before and had done nothing but laugh silently when he thought of how fast they'd run if they knew what he really was.

But this time, the tension-filled atmosphere of the bar and the fact that Kurama was actually responding to his admirers for once filled Hiei with an almost desperate need to go pummel a celebrity or something.

Of course, the fire demon couldn't have been more wrong in assessing the situation. He'd assumed that his friend was looking at him so guiltily because he felt bad for wanting to abandon him to be with the flirtatious females. In truth, Kurama was feeling guilty for an entirely different reason.

It wasn't the four females that had filled his eyes with such longing, but the concept behind them. He was jealous of their ability to just express their feelings so openly. They flirted with him and were rejected – end of story.

There was no consequence or hurt feelings or even the slightest feelings involved at all. The four of them simply picked a new guy to concentrate on and went back to nursing their drinks and flirting.

Kurama wondered what it was like to be so open and unrestrained. The only person he'd ever admittedly loved was his human mother, and that was hardly the kind of love that he wished he could express. The only other person he'd ever had any feelings for other than friendship was Hiei, and Kurama could not have been farther from understanding exactly what it was that he felt for the fire demon.

Sometimes when he looked at Hiei, his heart raced as if he'd been running for hours. Other times, he almost felt shy with him, as if he should be blushing and staring at the floor. And then there were times when every glance the demon shot him filled his chest with a strange ache he couldn't identify. Like just now, when he'd turned away from the flirtatious women and found Hiei looking at him dead on.

The usual empty look was gone from Hiei's eyes and replaced with the barest wisp of emotion, not enough for Kurama to recognize what emotion it was but enough to draw his attention.

Hiei quickly turned away from him, but the damage was already done. Kurama wondered exactly what had gotten Hiei so upset. His emotions were easy to detect if you knew what to look for, but they were seldom as broadly displayed as they'd been just then.

Kurama's stomach tied in a queasy knot as he wondered if Hiei could somehow tell what he was thinking. If the fire demon ever found out that Kurama had such strange feelings for him, the kitsune doubted if he would ever recover from his embarrassment.

"Kurama." The kitsune started as he heard Hiei call his name softly. The fire demon was still turned away from him, but his perfectly still form showed that he was paying rigid attention to him and only him. "There's something I want to ask you."

Kurama grinned nervously, even though he knew Hiei couldn't see him. "Of course, koorime, you know you can ask me anything."

"I know, fox, but this is kind of a difficult question for me." Kurama's heart raced as he saw Hiei fidget ever so slightly. This itself was enough to make him worry, since Hiei only fidgeted when either his life was at stake or he was insanely nervous about something.

For the question he had in mind to make Hiei so tense, it would have to be something very serious. Kurama gulped and stared directly at the greasy surface of the bar they sat at, refusing to look anywhere near Hiei. He had a feeling that this question could seriously change his relationship with his friend, and he wasn't positive if he wanted the change or not.

"Well, Kurama, I just wanted to know if…" A loud clang not six inches from them made both demons nearly jump out of their skin. Kurama let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in one long whoosh, trying to calm the tripled-heartbeat thudding in his chest. Hiei glared over Kurama's shoulder in the direction the noise had come from and saw three guys grinning down at them stupidly.

The clanging sound had come from the bottle one of the men was clutching in his hand after having dropped it clumsily to the floor. He was obviously too drunk to keep a good grip on anything. He smiled sloppily at them and took a seat a little ways down the bar, making room for his friends to sit, too. One of the other men was every bit as drunk as the first was, but the third and tallest of them looked almost sharply sober.

The two drunken idiots whispered to each other and grinned as they watched the third man, obviously the leader of the group, sit down directly next to Kurama and smile at him.

He had honey-blonde hair and eyes that were dazzling to say the least. They were the pale blue color of sapphires and held just the barest hint of violet in them. His smile was warm and enticing, and Kurama felt himself melting slightly at the sight of it before he realized what was happening.

"Well, hello there, honey bunch," The third man greeted in a sweet voice. His words flowed over Kurama's skin like warm oil, and he had to forcibly resist the urge to shiver pleasantly. Hiei glared at the man with obvious venom, wondering where he got the audacity to greet Kurama so familiarly. Kurama blushed at the pet name he'd been unknowingly given. _Honey bunch? Do I know this man? _

"I'm sorry if I don't remember you, but have we met before?" Kurama kept a polite smile on his face despite his conflicting emotions. He felt uncomfortable with the affection with which the handsome man gazed directly into his eyes, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel charmed by his good looks and confident smile.

"I assure you, if we'd ever met before I never would have let you forget me," The man purred quietly into Kurama's ear, loud enough for his smirking friends and Hiei to hear but soft enough to make Kurama think he was the only one listening.

"My name's Blake, by the way, and these are my friends Aki and Toru." The two men seated on the other side of Blake nodded clumsily as they took turns taking long drinks from the bottle they still held. _Blake? Is he American? That would explain the strange hair and eye color._ Kurama gave Blake another polite smile and replied, "It's nice to meet you, Blake. My name is Kurama and this is--." Kurama was cut off before he could introduce Hiei by the fire demon himself.

His crimson eyes had narrowed to snake-like slits as he glared at Blake with all his fury.

"Kurama, I don't trust this guy," Hiei whispered to him so quietly his mouth barely moved. "He seems way too familiar with you, and his friends are obviously trouble."

"I know, Hiei, but they haven't done anything to us. There's no need for us to be rude if we don't have too."

Hiei continued to glare, obviously showing that he disagreed with Kurama. The kitsune looked at Hiei with concern, wondering why he was acting so strangely. Blake seemed like a nice enough guy, even if his friends were a little slobbery. Kurama turned back to Blake, but started slightly as the man leaned forward. Blake's face was inches away from Kurama's, and he seemed to be studying the fox intently.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?" Blake asked as he continued to study Kurama's face. The kitsune blushed furiously but was saved from having to respond by the fact that Blake seemed too intent on studying him to listen for an answer. His eyes swept over Kurama's face before darting over his body in a subtle but extremely provocative way.

Kurama tried to ignore the warm feeling creeping over his skin as Blake continued to examine him, but he just couldn't seem to keep himself controlled. This feeling was familiar to him, but Kurama couldn't seem to remember exactly when it was that he'd felt it. He jerked a little in his seat as Blake suddenly reached a hand out and cupped it under his chin, tilting Kurama's head up to look him dead in the eye.

"I really like you, Kurama," Blake whispered as he leaned in even closer.

Their faces where no more than an inch apart, and Kurama wondered fervently if Blake was seriously going to kiss him in front of everyone, including Hiei. _Oh, god, please don't let Hiei see this_. Kurama thought frantically as Blake slowly closed the remaining distance between their faces. In that moment, though he didn't understand why, Kurama would have given anything to keep Hiei from seeing Blake kiss him.

I can't let this happen, Kurama thought wildly, but I just can't seem to move to stop it! What am I going to do? Kurama was torn between wanting to push Blake away and wanting to draw him closer. There was something about the way Blake looked at him that filled him with a warmth he knew he'd felt before. Kurama started slightly as he finally realized why Blake felt so familiar to him.

The look in Blake's eyes as he prepared to kiss him was exactly the same as the look Hiei had given him the day they'd woken up next to each other on the couch at his house. _But what does that mean? Why would Hiei give me the same look that someone who's about to kiss me is giving?_ Kurama had no time to think it over, since the instant before Blake finally kissed him, all hell broke loose.

To be continued…

_REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Wow, I'm not desperate or anything. _


	4. Part the Third

Ah, my first attempt at recreating the missing chapters of this fic. Well, wish me luck, boys and girls. Oh, and a lot of things are probably going to change, so be sure to read and review this new chapter. We'll be all caught up soon… at least, that's what I hope. Encouragement would make the process go faster, just thought I'd mention that!

Disclaimer: Oy, I remember having to do this… YYH, I own it not. You should know this by now.

…

Kurama jerked back with surprise, as a glass bottle smashed down on the bar not inches from his face. By some small miracle, the shards managed to drive Blake's lips away from their destination without causing any real damage. The kitsune let out a quiet sigh of relief before raising his emerald eyes, searching for the source of this welcomed interruption.

A seething Hiei held the neck of the broken bottle in a death grip that turned his knuckles white. He was glaring at Blake with such blatant hatred, Kurama couldn't help but blush with surprise. Why is Hiei so upset? Just because some gaijin (1) tried to kiss me? He was given no chance to think over his question as Blake suddenly stood up.

The human brushed a stray piece of glass from his platinum hair and stared down at Hiei menacingly.

"May I ask what the hell you think you're doing?" the human's voice rang with false pleasantry. Hiei looked coolly up at the beautiful man, not intimidated in the least by his height advantage.

And what reason would he have to be intimidated? Kurama thought as he watched the two with unease. If Hiei so chose, he could rip this human's head off.

"I was preventing you from making your final mistake," Hiei replied in a deathly cool voice. "My friend here didn't look like he was too pleased with your advances, and if you'd forced him to do anything he didn't want to do… Let's just say you'd have me to deal with afterwards."

Kurama clenched his jaw as he fought against the crimson threatening to flood his fair cheeks. He'd never heard Hiei speak with such blatant protectiveness before. It was moments like these that made Kurama's heart flutter in his chest.

"Hmm." Blake pretended to consider Hiei's words. "That's one theory. Maybe our lovely red-head is too shy to kiss someone he's only just met… or perhaps you're just jealous that I almost got to him first."

Hiei glared at Blake with renewed hatred. "I'm sure I don't know what you're getting at."

"Don't you?" The foreigner flashed him a charming smile. "I've been watching your beautiful friend here ever since he came into the bar, and I believe you've been doing the same. I saw the way you were looking at him, with such obvious desire. We both have our eyes set on something tonight, and that makes us rivals."

"That's ridiculous," Kurama blurted out, immediately regretting his words as they drew Blake's attention back to him. "Hiei is one of my closest friends! I'm not really sure what you think you saw, but I can assure you, you were mistaken."

Kurama glanced over at Hiei for support, but stopped short when he saw the odd look the fire demon was giving him.

"Kurama, sometimes you're just too innocent for words," he whispered, glancing away from the kitsune as he spoke.

Kurama's face immediately fell into a look of utter confusion. What does he mean by that? I don't understand what's going on… Why must everything be so confusing? Kurama thought back to when Blake had tried to kiss him before, an instant before Hiei had reacted so violently. The kitsune remembered the look Blake had given him, the look that reminded him so much of someone he knew well.

I still don't understand… Maybe I really am as innocent as Hiei says… But why did he say that, and why did he look so sad? Kurama was broken from his thoughts as Blake suddenly leaned towards him, making the kitsune wonder if the gaijin was going to try and kiss him again.

Blake chuckled slightly as he saw the worry in Kurama's eyes. "You really are too cute. You look almost frightened. Docile, in a way." Kurama's cheeks flared up again, but from anger this time. How dare this stranger presume to tell him such an intimate thing! Kurama flinched as Blake brushed a thumb over his fair cheeks, running his fingers through the long scarlet locks cascading over his shoulders.

"Such beautiful hair you have," Blake murmured, looking utterly absorbed in his hand's journey. Slender fingers slid down the length of the kitsune's hair, ending at the small of his back before inching their way back up to his face. Blake tilted Kurama's chin up, forcing their eyes to meet and ignoring the death glare Hiei was sending him.

"And your eyes are magnificent," Blake cooed as he examined the sparkling emerald orbs.

Kurama furrowed his brow anxiously as he felt a strange sensation creep into his body. It was a warm, almost tingling feeling that spread to every inch of the skin that Blake had touched. He'd never been handled in such a way before, and the new experience was having strange effects on him.

Why am I getting the weirdest feeling of déjà vu? Kurama bit his lip in thought, not realizing that the little action had brought Blake's hungry violet eyes to rest on the kitsune's lips.

I've felt like this before… with another person… but I can't pinpoint who or when. Kurama's train of thought was again shattered when he felt warm fingers slid gently over his lips. He jerked back with surprise and tried to pull away, but Blake still held his chin firmly in place.

"I've forgotten the most wonderful part," Blake breathed in a voice too quiet for any but Kurama to hear. "Your lips… so delicate and rosy, like perfect little rose petals. I don't think you understand just how beautiful you are, sweetheart… no wonder your friend can't resist you."

Kurama was lulled into a half-dreaming state by the hum of Blake's smooth voice so low and breathy in his ear. The only thing that snapped him out of it in time to pull away was the mention of Hiei.

"Stop saying things like that," Kurama whispered, though he had the feeling Blake was too absorbed in staring at his lips to hear his protests. "Hiei and I are just friends. We've been friends for a long time, and I would know if there was something else between us."

Would you really? An annoying voice in the back of his mind asked. Kurama furrowed his brow as the voice continued, Just a few moment ago, you were questioning your relationship with the demon yourself. Now, all of a sudden, you're denying everything you've been feeling all along. What changed in the last few seconds?

Kurama had to admit, his inner voice had a point. Unfortunately, he was far from acknowledging such a thing out loud. He was no closer to understanding his relationship with Hiei than he was to understanding Blake's motive in all this, so he thought it better to simply keep his mouth shut. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt. (2)

Kurama watched warily as Blake seemingly finished his inspection of the kitsune and resettled onto his bar stool, violet eyes never leaving the kitsune's emerald ones. Blake rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he leaned against the bar, watching Kurama with a look of unmistakable lust.

The kitsune shot Hiei an uncertain look as he tried to think of something to say. Blake's violet stare was making him nervous, as lovely as the gaijin's eyes were, and the silence settling over them only made things worse. Luckily, Hiei sensed Kurama's distress and quickly came to the rescue.

"What exactly do you expect to accomplish by staring Kurama down?" Hiei asked acidly, taking a small step towards Blake. The blond man appeared unruffled as his eyes slowly drifted up to meet Hiei's.

"I apologize for staring, but can you really blame me? With such a fine specimen within my grasp, I can hardly be held responsible for losing a little self-control. After all, it's a strong man that can resist such an exotic beauty as this."

Hiei scowled. "And what exactly do you men by 'within your grasp'? You talk as if Kurama is a prize for the taking!"

"And you act as if you wish to keep this prize to yourself," Blake countered quickly. "All this posturing and big talk. Admit it, you can't stand the thought of having a little competition."

"There's no competition!" Kurama suddenly interrupted, tired of being spoken of as if he couldn't hear a word. "I am not a trophy, and you two are not competing!"

Blake looked thoughtful for a moment. "That's a wonderful point, sweetheart. Maybe we should resolve this in a more refined manner. Instead of standing here and shouting insults back and forth, I propose we hold a contest to decide who is most worthy of our lovely little red-head."

"That's not what I meant, Blake. You—"

"Deal," Hiei interrupted, surprising Kurama into silence. The kitsune gave his friend a very confused look. Is Hiei trying to protect me from Blake? That must be it, but couldn't we just leave or something? Why did he accept this challenge when we could've taken an easier path? Unless… does Hiei actually want to win?

Kurama gave the koorime a questioning look, but Hiei's eyes were set on Blake's with steadfast determination. The kitsune looked between the two, and couldn't help but feel his heart turn to cold lead in his chest as he wondered what else could possibly go wrong.

To be continued…

(1) Gaijin is a literal way of calling someone a foreigner. '-jin' means "person" and I'm fairly certain 'gai-" is derived from "hentai" which means "stranger", or "pervert" in some cases, so gaijin means, literally "strange person". I'm not positive though, so just remember it means "foreigner" to be on the safe side.

(2) This is not a direct quotation, but it's derived from a popular saying made by Abraham Lincoln, who hopefully more of you will recognize as opposed to the number of people who recognized Kurt Cobain from my earlier chapter.

Wow, that was quite a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. Well, only one more chapter to remake and then I'm back to where I was before. Be sure to review and tell me if I left anything out. I think I covered most of the things that were supposed to happen in this chapter, but I'll gladly make revisions if need be. And don't forget to review! My hit count on this story is in the hundreds, while the reviews are… well, quite a bit less. Lets see some love, people!


	5. Part the Fourth

Ah, the final chapter I have to rewrite before I'm back where I left off. At least I had chapter five saved on my computer, and once that's posted, I can start posting new ones again. Unfortunately, this fic is still swiftly coming to an end. Please make sure to review and tell me what you think of the remakes. Your encouragement makes it run smoother!

_Disclaimer: YYH, while highly entertaining, is not something I would take credit for. If I had invented Hiei and Kurama and the rest, I wouldn't have made them 'just friends', I assure you. _

…

Kurama rubbed his temples with a despondent sigh, feeling the beginnings of a migraine come creping into his skull. His head throbbed with every quickened beat of his heart, all thanks to the mountain of stress a single night had managed to bring into his formerly peaceful life.

Kurama's eyes drifted between the two men standing possessively over him, each trying zealously to stare the other down. _God, what did I do to deserve this? _The kitsune asked, half expecting an answer to come in the form of an earthbound lightning bolt. Getting struck down would be a welcomed escape from his predicament.

He was currently wedged in the middle of a silent battle between a centuries-old fire demon, and a twenty-something gorgeous foreigner, both of which seemed to be vying for his attention for entirely different reasons. Blake wanted Kurama simply because he wanted Kurama. He thought the kitsune beautiful and exotic and worth the effort if it meant winning a night alone with him.

Hiei, on the other hand, was chasing after Kurama for reasons that were still unclear to the stunning redhead. All he knew for sure was Hiei had agreed to some kind of contest against Blake for the right to take the kitsune home at the end of the night, and Kurama honestly couldn't see any good coming out of it.

If Blake won, Kurama would either have to submit to something he didn't want but couldn't seem to resist, or find some way to get the persistent gaijin to leave him alone—something of an impossible task.

If Hiei won…

Kurama honestly couldn't tell what would happen then. He certainly knew his friendship with the fire demon had somehow become something more, but what exactly that more was confused him still. He cared about Hiei, cared about him very much… but how did Hiei feel? And what exactly did Kurama's feelings mean?

The more he tried to sort them out, the more tangled and confused his emotions became. Finally, Kurama could do nothing more than sigh with frustration and succumb to his curiosity. He would wait to see who won this ridiculous imitation of an Old West showdown and then make his next move from there.

Kurama was broken from his thoughts as he suddenly realized Blake was talking.

"Well, sweetheart, that was a very gutsy move you just made," the blond man was saying to Hiei as he swept a lock of hair away from his sparkling eyes. "I admire your courage, but don't think that means I plan to go easy on you. I like your friend a little too much to be parted with him so early in our acquaintance."

"Use all the fancy speeches you want," Hiei retorted coolly, "but I will never let him be won like some prize, especially by you."

Blake grinned. "Brave words, but stupid ones. You shouldn't make promises you can't keep. So, are you ready to start our little game?"

"Chotto matte," Kurama suddenly spoke up. (1) "I wish to participate as well." Both men looked at the kitsune with obvious surprise, though Hiei's was well masked behind his usual stoic features.

"Well, of course you can play with us, honey bunch," Blake purred, drawing closer to Kurama. "We wouldn't dream of keeping you out. A pretty little thing like you will get whatever you want, as long as you stick with me."

Kurama blushed as he saw the intent in Blake's eyes, knowing the gaijin meant to give him quite a bit more than an invitation to a game. Hiei growled a low warning in his throat, and Blake immediately stepped back from Kurama, hands raised defensively. "Calm down, sweetheart, there's no need to get angry. I wasn't doing anything."

Kurama heard Hiei mumble something along the lines of, "And you never will if I get my way," but Blake was already talking over him, explaining the rules of their contest.

"Since we're already in a bar," Blake began, "I think it'll be extremely appropriate for us to settle this with a good, old fashioned drinking game. And just to make things interesting, we won't simply be trying to drink the most alcohol."

"What do you mean?" Hiei asked suspiciously.

"I mean, this is going to be a confessions drinking game. Instead of simply drinking a shot every turn and waiting for one of us to pass out, we're each going to confess something naughty we've done right after every shot we take."

As if cued by Blake's words, the bartender came over and placed a dozen shot glasses in front of each of them, though Kurama couldn't remember seeing that many glasses in the bar before. The beefy man behind the counter pulled a bottle of clear liquid out from a rack on the wall and filled all of the glasses to the top before leaving them again as quickly as he'd appeared.

"Viola," Blake said smugly. "As if that's not exciting enough, there's another catch to this game. If one of us deems your confession to be a little too innocent… you have to keep drinking and keep confessing until we find one we like."

Kurama went slightly pale at this. He really didn't like the idea of revealing his deepest secrets to both a stranger he'd just met and the demon that was supposed to be his best friend, but he also didn't want to have to keep drinking more and more. He had a feeling that every drink he had would make his tongue a little looser until he could no longer control what secrets he told and what ones he kept to himself.

_This could end of being really bad, _Kurama thought tensely. _I can't think of any way to come out of this with my dignity… I'm just going to have to hope for the best. _

"All right," Hiei spoke up, "now that we know the rules, how do we decide who goes first?"

Blake grinned again, filling Kurama with apprehension. "Well, since you two are new to this game, I'll go first and you can follow my example."

Blake picked up one of his shot glasses and pretended to study it, swirling the clear liquid around a few times for show. He shot Kurama a sensuous grin before lifting the drink to his lips and downing it in one gulp.

"Now, what will my confession be?" The sultry man pretended to ponder his question. "Ah, I know." He leaned forward until his lips were a scant few inches from Kurama's ear. "I've never slept with a redhead before." He said it just low enough so his voice was a breathy whisper, but clearly loud enough that Hiei could hear him, too.

Kurama blushed an almost violent shade of crimson as this confession registered in his mind. It was obviously something Blake had no intention of claiming again after tonight.

"Well, I'm sure we were all clamoring to know that," Hiei bit out caustically before picking up one of his own shot glasses.

The demon downed his drink with none of the theatrics that Blake had put on and then sat back in his stool to decide what he would confess.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Blake cooed. "I must say you intrigued me from the start, sweetheart. What are you going to tell us? Did you kill someone in a back alley? It wouldn't surprise me."

"Actually," Hiei smirked, "I've killed more people than you could ever possibly count." Though Blake had made the implication himself, it didn't stop him from looking slightly shocked by Hiei's words. Kurama watched with mild satisfaction as a touch of the golden color in Blake's face drained away. "Well, congratulations on being one scary bastard," the foreigner amended with a laugh, trying to cover his unease.

"It's Kurama's turn now," was all Hiei replied. The kitsune glanced uneasily at the glasses before him, noting with distaste how much the pungent alcohol looked like ordinary water. He picked up one of his glasses and brought it to his lips, nearly gagging on the smell that reached his nose moments later.

Not wanting to lose face now, Kurama downed the sickening concoction and gritted his teeth against the sour taste it left in his mouth.

"Um…" he began, searching his mind for a suitable confession. "I've skipped class more times than anyone else in my grade, besides Yusuke." _Well, it was only when Koenma needed me for a mission, but Blake doesn't need to know that._

Hiei nodded approvingly at his revelation and turned to Blake. "It's your turn again, and—"

"Not so fast," Blake interrupted, filling Kurama with dread. "I openly admitted my sex life, the little one here confessed to killing people… and you try to match that with a couple incidents of _cutting class_? I don't think so."

Kurama wanted to protest, but he knew Blake was right. He hadn't even come close to being on the same level as the others. The kitsune sighed heavily and turned his eyes to his awaiting eleven glasses, dreading the thought of another drink so soon. Blake seemed to notice his unease and purred, "Ah, did our little beauty not like his first taste of alcohol? Maybe I can make it more pleasant for you…"

Before Kurama could react, Blake took one of his shot glasses and downed it, keeping the liquid in his mouth. The blond man then turned to Kurama, titled up the kitsune's chin, and pressed their lips together, all before Kurama could make a move to stop him.

The kitsune resisted at first, but Blake slipped his tongue across his lips with such skill, Kurama couldn't help but open his mouth in response.

It was then that he tasted the warm alcohol sliding across his tongue, the liquid no longer sour when combined with the sweet taste of Blake's mouth. Kurama could do nothing but sit still and wait for Blake to pull away as the kiss paralyzed him, though he was forced to wait a long time while the foreigner thoroughly kissed him.

When Blake finally did free him from his intoxicating grasp, Kurama couldn't help but whisper, "I've never been kissed like that before."

"Now _that's_ a worthwhile confession."

To be continued…

(1) 'Chotto matte'. 'Matte' means 'wait'. 'Chotto' means 'for a short time'. The American translation of this would be, "wait a minute!" especially when used as a command like in this case.

Banzai! That's it everybody! The next chapter is the last one I had posted before that stupid bitch erased them all. We're almost caught up. After my next update, don't expect another one for a while, since I'll be continuing the actual plot. Please remember to review, or you won't get the updates I know you're all dieing for! Ja mata!


	6. Part the Fifth

_Banzai! I finally did it! This is the final chapter I had up before they were erased! We're officially caught up! Good, so now all I have to do is reread my entire story, figure out all the plot I am yet to reveal/fully explain, and then try to pick it up again… .:sob:. Eh, this could take awhile. Of course .:mischievous smile:. I would be more likely to get it done quickly if I new I had support… mayhaps in the form of **reviews**? Wow, that was subtle._

Disclaimer: If YYH were pot, I'd go to the Netherlands, where pot is legal, just so I wouldn't have to give it up. Um… I'm not sure what my point was in saying that… so… yeah.

…

Kurama breathed a quiet sigh of relief as his head finally cleared. The initial rush that'd come from his first taste of alcohol was finally wearing off, and he was slowly gaining back his common sense. He was, after all, a powerful, influential kitsune youkai. Why was he acting so strangely all of a sudden?

He'd let a gaijin kiss him in front of one of his comrades, had been stunned by a little taste of liquor, and had acted like a docile female to both of these men. He had even spent much time wondering how much trouble he'd get in with Koenma if he suddenly turned into Yoko and tore the bar apart, cackling maniacally all the while.

It had certainly been an interesting night.

Kurama felt his cheeks flush slightly as he thought back on all that'd happened. Where did this go wrong? He wondered tersely. Everything was normal right up until Blake made his rather 'interesting' appearance. Hiei and I were just having a normal conversation…

Kurama suddenly halted his train of thought and furrowed his brow. What had we been talking about before he showed up? Hadn't Hiei been about to ask me something? 'Kurama… there's something I want to ask you… this is kind of a difficult question for me…' Hiei's words resonated through Kurama's mind as clearly as if the demon was actually speaking.

What could his question have been? I remember how I was feeling about Hiei right before Blake showed up… confused… and a little apprehensive. If that man hadn't bothered us… I wonder how this all would have turned out. Kurama glanced over at his friend and tried to meet his garnet eyes. Hiei, however, was steadfastly refusing to look at him.

It was as if the demon held some sort of grudge against Kurama. Is he angry about the kiss with Blake? That wasn't my fault… Kurama shook his head, berating himself for allowing his thoughts to take such a turn. Hiei had no reason to be jealous of Blake. The very idea was ridiculous… and yet…

Kurama remembered the whole reason they were even stuck in this stupid drinking contest with the golden-haired stranger. Hiei had insisted on protecting him from Blake, even if it meant participating in something so menial. Maybe… maybe he really does care about me…

"Well, are you two ready to continue our game, or would you like to stare off into space some more?" Blake asked with an edge of annoyance creeping into his voice. The violet-eyed man obviously didn't like the fact that his opponents were still capable of such clear thought even with the addition of his dangerously pungent alcohol to their systems.

Maybe if he'd known he was actually dealing with a set of powerful demons, he wouldn't have been so surprised by their ability to fight off the liquor's effects.

"I wouldn't think you'd be so eager, since it is your turn," Hiei replied calmly, leveling a cold glance at Blake. The man merely shrugged under the look that had frozen many hearts before him and picked up his next glass, downing it unceremoniously. Maybe he's getting sick of all these games and flirtations. Kurama thought hopefully when Blake didn't stop for any showing off.

As if sensing the kitsune's thoughts, violet eyes turned to him and locked his gaze tightly, sparkling with mischief.

"My next confession will be…" Blake trailed off mysteriously, "I—" He suddenly cut off as an entire set of people crashed right into him. Kurama let out a quiet sigh of relief as he was spared from another of Blake's sexual innuendoes. A quick glance at the people who had knocked into the golden-haired man left him with an intense urge to chuckle.

Yusuke, Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara, and Yukina all lay in a tangled heap on the floor with Blake lying at the bottom and Genkai literally standing at the summit, an amused smile playing across her lips. She looked as if she prided herself on being the first person to ever reach the top of Mt. Drunken Idiots.

"You certainly picked a nice time to visit," Kurama commented lightly, speaking to Genkai, since she was the only one whose face wasn't buried in the floor.

"You looked as if you'd appreciate some company, and it would be better if these slobbering fools got off the dance floor long enough to sober up," was the older woman's no-nonsense reply.

Leave it to Genkai to have perfect timing, Kurama thought as Blake slowly picked himself out from under the pile of the kitsune's companions. He delivered as a frigid glare that no one paid attention to and swept a hand through his platinum locks, pouting like a petulant child.

Yusuke choose that moment to recover slightly from his intoxicated state and slapped Blake on the back. "Sorry for bumpin' into ya, pal. Didn't mean anythin' by it. We just wanted to come talk to Kurama here. He looked kinda uneasy."

Blake glanced at the spot of his back that Yusuke had touched as if he wished to burn a hole in that part of his shirt. "Think nothing of it," he muttered haughtily, glaring at the young man with utter superiority before turning back to Kurama. The kitsune blushed as Blake leveled another heated glance on him, which was easily noticed by Yusuke, along with Kurama's discomfort.

"Is this guy botherin' you?" The dark-haired teen asked, turning a threatening look to Blake, exactly as a bouncer would. Blake glared right back. "If I bothered him, do you think he would stick around as long as he has?" Kurama silently hoped Yusuke would see the holes in Blake's reasoning without him having to come out and say it. He'd rather die than admit he'd been trapped in some drinking game for the right to his virginity.

Unfortunately, Yusuke wasn't quite quick enough to pick up on Kurama's subtle signals. "Yeah, I guess that's true. Sorry for disturbin' ya, dude. Hey… what are you guys doin' anyway?" Kurama felt his blush deepen as he realized his attempts to keep their game a secret had just been soundly thrashed.

"We… um… well, we were just…" he stuttered. Thankfully, Hiei stepped in. "Yusuke, we'd like you to meet Blake. He kindly invited us to play a little drinking game with him and his friends… though they seemed to have skipped out…" Kurama glance around and realized for the first time that Blake's two friends had indeed left for parts unknown.

I never even saw them leave… They must have wanted to give Blake some privacy while he embarrassed the living hell out of me in front of everyone I hold dear. I don't even remember their names…Kurama frowned with anticipation as Yusuke suddenly slapped the surface of the bar. "Well," he chuckled amiably, "if you have a few open spots in your game, why don't you let us play, too?"

Kurama nearly swallowed his tongue as he heard Yusuke's proposal. I can't let them play this game! If they hear any of our confessions… especially Blake's… Kurama suddenly trailed off as he got to thinking about what his friend was suggesting. He glanced over at Blake and could tell from his annoyed expression that he would rather have his idiot friends come back than allow the newcomers into his game.

Kurama grinned with sudden inspiration. Maybe he'll lay off with all the shameless flirting if more of my friends are listening. The kitsune grinned hopefully and turned to Yusuke. "Of course you can play! The more the merrier, as the adage goes." Yusuke offered a lopsided grin and grabbed a seat at the bar, oblivious to how happy he'd made Kurama or how furious he'd made Blake.

Things were finally not going the way the blonde man planned.

"Hey, Urameshi, don't think you can leave us out of your game!" Kuwabara slurred as he pulled a struggling Keiko into a barstool before plopping down on one himself. Yukina, Botan, and Genkai seemed to have chosen to remain impartial observers, proving them to be the only intelligent members in the entire party.

"Well, from the number of empty shot glasses, I guess all three of you have already gone at least once," Yusuke pointed to a deliriously happy Kurama, a fuming Blake, and an irritatingly nonchalant Hiei, "so I guess it's my turn and then my idiot punching bag of a friend and then Keiko. How does this game work?" Kurama quickly explained the rules and distributed shot glasses to his friends, grinning blissfully all the while.

Without thinking, he glanced over at Hiei and felt the happiness drain right out of him. Even with his friend's uncanny ability to mask his emotions, it was still plain to Kurama how Hiei was feeling. He looked hurt, plain and simple. The fire demon had finally allowed himself to meet Kurama's gaze, and the pain in his crimson eyes was obvious.

Why does he… What did I do to make him feel this way? Was all Kurama could ask himself as Hiei turned his gaze away an instant later. Kurama slumped down in his barstool as his head whirled with tangled thoughts. Is he upset that I wanted Yusuke and the others to play? But why would that offend him? I only did it so that Blake would leave me alone…

Kurama gasped as he was hit with a sudden thought. But maybe Hiei doesn't understand that… Maybe… after the way I've been acting with Blake, and now with our other friends… Maybe he thinks I've been avoiding him! Right before Blake came over, he'd been about to ask me something important… but I never even gave him a chance…

Kurama bit his lip against the sudden torrent of guilt flooding through him. He knew how difficult it was for his friend to show his emotions, and he'd completely cut the demon off. Kurama couldn't understand why he'd been acting so strangely all night. Hiei had plainly been trying to tell him something important, but he had gone ahead and starting flirting with some random guy.

Maybe I've been in denial… Kurama thought. I already know deep down what Hiei was going to tell me… and I wanted to avoid it. I can't face up to my own feelings, so I've been drowning them in other things. Watakushi ga kouiu baka o arimasu.(1)

Before he could really think about what he was doing, Kurama slipped his hand under the bar counter and gently placed it on top of Hiei's. The fire demon started slightly but didn't pull away, meeting Kurama's gaze with an unreadable expression. The kitsune smiled slightly, unsure if he'd made the right move, but relaxed immediately when he felt Hiei lace their fingers together and give his hand a small squeeze.

Kurama immediately blushed and dropped his gaze to the bar, painfully aware of the fact that despite their intimate moment, they still had a lot to talk about. Not to mention, the two demons were still stuck in Blake's ridiculous drinking game until they could find a winner, and three new people had just joined.

Kurama sighed heavily. This is going to be one long night, he thought for what had to be the hundredth time.

To be continued…

Yay, I feel better now that I've gotten this story back on track. A little less Blake, a little more Hiei/Kurama, exactly as it should be. Anyways, the end is near, my friends. The end of this fic, I mean .:sweat drops:. Only a few more chapters to go!

(1) Literally translated, this should mean something like, "I am such a fool", but I'm horrible with particles, and it's not often you can trust literal translations, so I wouldn't use this sentence around anyone who's Japanese unless you'd like to be laughed at.


	7. Part the Sixth

_Yatta! A new chapter, and none too soon! Reviews have been fabulous and I personally thank each and every one of you! .:bows, "Domo":. As much as I'd like to draw this fic out, the length is entirely dependent on my ability to keep the drinking game going, and I'm running out of believable confessions. If you guys have some ideas for confessions that you think match or characters' personalities, or just ones that you think you'd like to see in a fanfic, review me and I'll add them into the next chapter. _

_Assuming that I don't get too many suggestions (though I'll thankfully take each and every one) I suppose this'll go on for maybe three or four more chapters, at the most. The lemon scene is going to be the major climax and then there's the aftermath to deal with… eh, we'll see. _

_IMPORTANT: I've started a livejournal that is devoted entirely to my writing on this website. It will contain essential information such as dates for future chapter postings, sneak previews for completed chapters, character bios, polls and surveys, drabbles and oneshots, and much more. I'll also tell you if I plan to take a story down, do any major editing, put a fic on hiatus, etc. Obviously this livejournal is VERY important. Be sure to check it regularly, or you WILL miss something important. A link will be posted at the end of the chapter. _

_Disclaimer: Not to be flippant with my adoring fans, but if you've ever assumed that I own anything pertaining to YYH, besides my owe-so-kawaii plushy collection, then you are sadly in need of professional attention, thank you very much X3._

…

Yusuke gazed into the bottom of his first shot glass with an expression that was comical to say the least. Despite the fact that he'd been drinking for two-thirds of the night, he seemed amazed at this new liquor that'd been placed before him.

"Whattcha sayin' this is called?" he asked Blake for the umpteenth time. The blond man sighed dispassionately and repeated, "It's called 'vodka'. It's made from Russian potatoes and other grains and is a favorite in America. It's surprisingly potent." Yusuke continued to marvel at the liquor until everyone around him was fairly ticked off.

"Yusuke, if you don't hurry up…!" Keiko threatened, brandishing a slender fist at her classmate.

"All right, all right, don't get yer panties in a twist!" The dark-haired teen raised the glass to his lips and swallowed its contents in one swig. He set the tiny cup onto the bar and leaned back in his stool, seemingly contemplating what he would confess.

_I really hope my plan works, _Kurama whispered in his mind as he watched Yusuke's face intensely. The kitsune was hoping that the presence of his friends would lead Blake to go a little easier on him, and maybe get him to lay off entirely.

If he could discourage the persistent gaijin from pursuing him further, it might give him a chance to speak with Hiei alone and sort this whole mess out. Kurama wanted nothing more in that moment than to be restored back into his friend's good graces. Blake's advances had done much to harm their precarious relationship, though it had also been exactly what they needed to bring out their true feelings.

_Though even that much is still in question. _Kurama's inner voice became tinged with resentment. _I don't really know how Hiei feels. I mean, I have a good idea, but… it's all so confusing. I'm not even certain how _**I**_feel about all this…_

The beautiful fox's attention turned back to Yusuke, as he finally seemed to decide on a confession.

"I once knocked out an entire band of demons with a single punch!" His chest puffed out with pride, but it quickly deflated as he realized what he'd said.

"What do you mean by 'band of demons'?" Blake asked suspiciously, and Keiko bonked Yusuke on the head before saying, "Uh… he meant nothing! Nothing at all! 'Band of demons' is just a phrase we Japanese use to refer to gangs and the yakuza (1)!"

Kurama flinched at this botched explanation. Hopefully, Blake didn't know much about Japanese culture or they'd all be in big trouble.

"It was stupid of him to forget that Blake is mortal," Hiei whispered in the kitsune's ear, and for a moment Kurama felt chills slip down his spine.

"Right," he whispered back, visibly pulling himself together. His heart was pounding again. Hiei's warm breath had tickled his ear in a most delicious way….

"So, anyway," Yusuke amended with an extremely forced smile. "I once knocked out an entire band of gangsters with a single punch." Blake looked skeptical for a moment, but then he shrugged and folded his arms haughtily across his chest. Kuwabara did what was probably the most intelligent thing he'd ever done in his life and changed the subject by picking up his own shot glass.

"So," he began slowly, as if struggling to understand, "I drink this and then confess something that I would normally keep secret?" The other participants nodded. Kuwabara froze for a moment before breaking into a raucous cheer that was confusing to say the least.

"Now's the perfect time!" he shouted jubilantly, raising his glass as if to toast the heavens. "I'll use this game to finally confess my feelings! I'll tell her how I really feel! I finally confess my undying love for—" But Kuwabara was cut off before he could say another word by the handle of a katana pressing into his throat.

Hiei was on his feet before Kuwabara, glaring at the bumbling teen viciously. _Where was he keeping his katana all this time? _Kurama wondered confusedly. _I never even saw him draw it. _

"Listen carefully, lover-boy," Hiei snarled, "for I will only say this once. If you're thinking of saying what I think you're thinking of saying, then you'd best rethink your thinking before I tear out your vocal cords."

"I don't think I could understand that even if I was sober," Kuwabara muttered, unable to speak up while the handle was pressed into his throat.

Hiei removed the katana reluctantly and Kuwabara downed his drink, muttering some inconsequential confession about stealing a piece of bubblegum when he was five that was obviously not what he'd intended to say.

Blake hadn't bothered to make anyone choose another confession, no matter how lame their first one was, and this proved Kurama's theory that the blond man was out to get him.

Keiko's turn came next, and the young girl raised her first glass before her with obvious reluctance.

"You can back out now if ya want," Yusuke reassured, though this only made the modest girl more determined. She drank the shot timidly, as if she were sipping tea, and then paused afterwards while she thought of a confession.

"This isn't really fair fer her," Yusuke complained. "Keiko's never done anythin' out of the ordinary in her life!"

"Well…there was that one thing, Yusuke," she whispered while looking up at him meaningfully. Yusuke's mouth dropped open. "You can't be thinkin' about tellin' 'em _that,_ Keiko!"

The girl looked indignant. "And why not! It's as much my secret as it is yours!"

"What are you two babbling about?" Hiei asked with an edge of annoyance in his voice. It was the same question that all of the competitors were thinking, including Botan, Yukina, and Genkai, who only watched.

Keiko took a deep breath, which seemed to strengthen her resolve, and blurted out, "Yusuke and I kissed."

A stunned silence followed this announcement before the others all broke into uproarious laughter, except for Blake who must've had no clue as to the significance of this statement.

"I knew it!" Kuwabara cried while laughing hysterically. "I always knew you two would hook up eventually!"

"We didn't 'hook up'!" Yusuke argued. "We just kissed! And it was only one time, and it didn't mean anythin'!"

"Oh, so now I don't mean anything?" Keiko fumed, and Yusuke seemed to realize the mistake he'd made.

"Keiko, I didn't mean it like that! I just—" His sentence was cut off when Keiko suddenly reached back and slapped him savagely across the face. This brought even more laughter from the crowd as he fell twitching to the floor.

"Woman, why'd ya have to go and—"

"I'm never speaking to you again, Yusuke Urameshi!"

"Keiko, don't be like that!"

As the two continued to squabble, Blake seemed to lose interest in the whole ordeal. He rolled his eyes dispassionately and turned to Keiko. "So, tongue or not?" The slender girl froze for a moment, a look of horror plastered on her face.

Yusuke got indignantly up from the floor. "Hey, buddy, that's none of yer—" Before he could finish his sentence, Keiko suddenly reached her hand back and slapped Blake across the face too, even harder than she'd hit Yusuke. A loud crack sounded through the bar as the blow hit its target, and a large white handprint formed on Blake's smooth skin.

"How dare you ask me such a thing!" Keiko screeched while the people around her merely stared in fascination. "I don't know what's acceptable in America, but we don't speak like that here!"

Blake still hadn't moved, and for a moment, Kurama wondered anxiously if he might be furious enough to leave. Before anyone could find out, a soft, mocking chuckle suddenly broke the frozen tension in the air.

The entire group glanced towards the direction of the noise and saw Hiei clutching his sides in an attempt to contain his laughter. The fire demon wiped an uncharacteristic tear of mirth from the corner of his blood-red eye and said, "Ah, Keiko, I do believe I love you."

At that, the entire group burst out laughing again, except, of course, for Blake. The foreigner merely shrugged and picked up his next shot glass, ready for his turn. He downed the pungent liquid in one graceful swoop and said matter-of-factly, "I was once married to a very lovely girl.

"She had beautiful green eyes and long crimson hair. She was an absolute angel, but I couldn't make her happy. There was one very obvious reason why we couldn't be together…" Blake trailed off, and only Kurama and Hiei knew the reason for his failed marriage, since they'd been there for every smooth line he'd used on Kurama.

The kitsune felt a momentary surge of pity for the human, which immediately wore off when he realized his turn was coming up shortly. _What could I possibly confess? _He wondered fervently. _I got lucky those last two times… but luck has obviously deserted me. Well, there's one thing I could confess…_

Kurama glanced over at Hiei and felt his heart flutter in his chest. The demon was sitting with his chin resting in one of his hands, gazing off into the murky shadows cast by the club's neon lights. His skin glowed slightly in the fluorescence, making him look like one of the ivory china dolls Kurama remembered seeing in shop windows.

His black hair contrasted brilliantly with his fair skin, and Kurama thought Hiei could almost pass for some kind of dark archangel, as silly as he knew it sounded. _He really is beautiful. I wonder how he would react if I confessed what I'm thinking of confessing. If I told him how wildly my heart beats when he's near me, or how his voice raises goose bumps on my skin. _

Kurama shook his head to clear these thoughts as he remembered it was still only Hiei's turn. The demon grabbed one of his glasses and brought it to his lips, but not before he turned to Yusuke and Keiko and said, "A toast to the not-so-happy couple, who bring laughter into all our lives with their stupidity."

"You're one to talk, Hiei," Keiko countered sharply as Hiei drank down his shot. "It's not like you've ever been kissed or anything." A strange glint came into Hiei's eyes as she said this.

"You know, Keiko, you're right. I haven't ever kissed anyone or been kissed myself. I might as well make that my confession, since I won't be able to say that for much longer."

Kurama gave his companion a confused look. "What are you—" Hiei moved too quickly for Kurama to react, or even to finish his sentence. Before the kitsune knew what was going on, Hiei's lips were pressed to his and there was warmth coursing through every sinew of his body.

To be continued…

_(1) The yakuza are the Japanese mafia. Sorry if I offended anyone of Japanese decent with that whole "band of demons is what we call gangsters" thing. I know that that's not actually true, but it seemed like a good cover story for someone who's having to make it up on the spot. For the record, that came completely from my imagination, and not from any actual facts about Japanese culture, although the 'yakuza' word is a correct translation and can be used if you wish. _

_Ack! Another cliffhanger! And another kiss, for that matter! Well, I guess kisses just seem like good places to leave these things off on… Anyway, I hope you guys like that little touch of Yusuke/Keiko that I threw in, along with the unfinished Kuwabara/Yukina. That was just for fun, since I don't really care for either of those pairings. I'm yaoi all the way XD. _

_Anyway, don't forget to review and tell me of any confessions you'd like me to put in the next chapter. I'm completely open to suggestions, and the more ideas I get, the longer this fic will last. If you have more than the one-review-per-chapter rule will allow, feel free to email me. I always adore hearing from my readers. _

_Also, don't forget to check out my livejournal. Here's a lovely little link that needs only to have the spaces removed:_

http/ www . livejournal . com/users/hieiaijin1410/


	8. Part the Seventh

_Yay! Time to write another chapter! I always love this part—the author note. It's my little opening act before the performance starts. Ha, there's one metaphor already and the fic hasn't even started yet. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who suggested a confession. They were all really helpful, and they got me thinking about the characters in a whole new way. Unfortunately, most of them were things I'd already planned on using, so I can't credit anyone in particular. _

_Also, thanks to everyone who dropped by my livejournal to say "hi". If anyone else wants to check it out, here's the link again:_

http/ www . livejournal . com/users/hieiaijin1410/

_You can also find it on my bio under 'homepage'. Thanks again!_

_Disclaimer: As much as I do enjoy making the characters of YYH dance around like my own private collection of stringed puppets, the fact is they're not a private collection and are, in fact, available for anyone to play with, should they so choose. Have fun, kiddies. XD_

…

A strange sense of silence had settled over the bar. Even the blaring techno music seemed to fade away in the wake of what had just happened. No one at the bar dared move a muscle. They hardly breathed for fear that even the tiniest disturbance would make this bizarre scene even stranger.

The only ones who had not remained still were the two demons that sat at the focal point of every odd thing that had happened that night. Though it had already been several seconds since Hiei had initiated his first kiss with Kurama, the black-haired fire demon had still not pulled away.

His lips were no longer the light brush against Kurama's that they'd been at the start. His mouth was now set firmly on that of the kitsune's, spreading warmth throughout Kurama's entire body, as if he'd drunk the whole bottle of vodka himself.

Kurama wasn't certain what to do. A part of his mind was screaming at him to pull away and slap some sense into his best friend, but another part was urging him to tangle his slender fingers in Hiei's dark locks and pull the demon closer.

A whirlwind of feelings swept through the kitsune—some good and some bad—all of which were the result of a single kiss. What seemed like centuries later, Hiei finally pulled away, but only slightly. His face stopped just inches away from Kurama's, as if he were reluctant to leave the kitsune's tantalizing lips behind.

"You know I've never been one with words, fox," Hiei whispered softly, his voice no more than a tickle of breath against Kurama's skin. "I wish I could say to you everything I've been wanting to say all night…but I'm too afraid of messing this up. I just hope that my kiss said as much as I think it did."

"It said plenty, koorime," Kurama whispered back, eyes slightly glazed over from the intensity of Hiei's kiss. His stomach was swirling around like a whirlpool of fluttering butterflies. He would have gladly blamed these symptoms completely on his best friend, but as he gazed at the row of empty shot glasses on the counter, he knew there was a more likely reason.

It had been less than half an hour since they'd started their game, and Kurama already had a couple drinks to his name. His slender form did not seem to be absorbing the alcohol well. If their drinking game continued for much longer….

_And now it's my turn again, _Kurama thought pessimistically. More alcohol was not what he needed at the moment. He needed a clear head to help him think through everything that had happened.

His lips were still warm with the feeling of Hiei's; his heart was still pounding in his chest like a blacksmith's fevered hammer. He went from deliriously happy to depressingly confused in a matter of seconds. It was literally the most bewildering experience he'd ever been through in his life.

_If I'd known before that Hiei could inspire such feelings in me… _Kurama mused, _I might have taken more care to ensure we'd been left alone tonight. _A modest blush crept over Kurama's cheeks as he thought over everything he would say to the beautiful fire demon if only they were alone.

Unfortunately, they were not alone, and the others around them seemed to be coming out of their shock.

"Well," Kuwabara muttered uneasily, scratching his head as he tried to think of something to break the awkward tension created by Hiei's bold move, "I didn't know you guys were so…close."

"Right," Yusuke chimed in with a painful-looking smile. "Not that there's anythin' wrong with that. You guys can be as…close…as you want. We just…didn't see it comin' is all."

"It was kind of surprising, I guess," Keiko remarked with a perfectly calm look on her face, as if she had secretly seen this coming and had therefore been more prepared for the shock than the rest, "but in a way it just makes sense. You two have been together longer than most couples anyway."

"Couples?" Kurama squeaked. He flinched at the crack in his voice, which managed to make the word sound even more awkward than it already was. "Hiei and I are _not_ a couple. We just….We…." Kurama's face grew ever brighter as he struggled to define exactly _what_ he and Hiei were.

Hiei offered no help whatsoever to his floundering friend; the fire demon kept his eyes coolly forward, mostly ignoring Kurama's attempts to explain himself. It seemed he didn't mind the thought that his friends now considered the kitsune and him to be a couple. Kurama himself wasn't certain why the idea bothered him so.

_It's just happening so fast, _he thought sheepishly, wondering at his own cowardice. Hiei had made his feelings clear, almost as clear as actual words; what was left to hold Kurama back?

This question was answered when Blake suddenly interrupted the intimate moment with a clipped reminder, "It's your turn, sweetheart. Drink up." Kurama started slightly and glanced down at the shot glasses in front of him. In the wake of everything that had happened, he'd forgotten about their deal with Blake.

"The winner of the drinking contest is given the right to take me home in the end," Kurama whispered to himself, seemingly lost in thought. _This must be why I can't bring myself to acknowledge Hiei. I'm still trapped in this game. How can I pledge myself to someone when I might end up having to leave with another?_

Kurama felt the familiar rush of a migraine come creeping into his skull. Everything was turning out so badly. He couldn't see how to fix any of it peacefully. Certainly at this point, even if Blake won, Kurama would never consent to spending the night with the beautiful foreigner.

His initial infatuation with Blake had long since been replaced with worry for Hiei and for whatever pieces of their relationship that could still be salvaged. But if Blake did win, and then Kurama refused to honor his end of the bet, the kitsune didn't doubt that things would get violent quickly. Most of their group were drunk off their asses, and even the slightest provocation could send them all into an uproar.

_There must be a way to end this without putting every life in the bar in danger. _Kurama closed his eyes as he tried to think of an answer. Unfortunately, his thoughts were interrupted by a rough hand on his shoulder.

"Are you going to go or what, sweetheart?" Blake smiled casually at him as his hand kneaded into Kurama's muscles, obviously intending to be soothing. Kurama shrugged his hand away, in no mood to be touched by another.

He picked up another shot glass and scanned his memories for anything that would make a worthy confession. He brought the liquor to his lips, gulped it down, and said, "One way that I used to support myself was by stealing valuable treasures from around the world. That's actually how I met Yusuke here."

Kurama reached over and patted his dark-haired friend on the back. Yusuke piped up, "That's right. Kurama was tryin' to steal an artifact with really strong magical powers, and—" Both Yukina and Keiko simultaneously clapped their hands over Yusuke's mouth and shouted, "Please excuse our friend! He's had _way_ too much to drink."

"Seriously, Yusuke, how dumb can you get?" Kuwabara laughed, enjoying for once watching someone _else _make an idiot of himself. Blake gave them all yet another suspicious glance. Kurama couldn't be certain if the foreigner believed that Yusuke was merely drunk or if he suspected something else, but either way this confessions game was getting risky.

_We have to end this soon before our tongues get any looser. _Kurama's brow knitted together as he once again tried to think of some way to escape this game with everyone intact. It just seemed so hopeless. Even if someone besides Blake won the game, it somehow didn't look as if that would be the end.

Blake had shown too much boldness and too much ingenuity to make it seem like he could simply lose and then go on his merry way. Kurama wondered pensively if they'd ever truly be rid of him.

Yusuke took his turn as Kurama continued to think, though the kitsune was too distracted to really notice what his friend had confessed. It must have been something bawdy, however, since another loud smack sounded through the air moments later.

Yusuke screeched something at Keiko while rubbing a large red mark on his face, and the young high school girl shouted right back. As the two squabbled, Kuwabara took his turn and once again attempted to confess his love for a certain nearby ice demon.

Hiei responded by whipping out his katana from whatever secret compartment he'd managed to stash it in and brandished it at Kuwabara.

The entire scene seemed so achingly familiar to Kurama. Every movement his friends made was one that he could predict ahead of time. He knew their personalities, their emotions, their reactions almost as well as he knew his own.

It just didn't seem possible to him that even after everything that had happened that night, they could still act so much like they always did. _Maybe everything will work out after all, _Kurama thought wistfully. _If all this can happen without really changing any of us, who knows what else we'll be able to endure? _

Kurama's gaze flickered from his friends to the one person other than himself who wasn't participating in their playful banter. Blake sat still in his seat, absentmindedly twirling a lock of golden hair around one slender finger. To put it simply, the beautiful man looked bored.

_What is it that's driving him to pursue me so avidly? _Kurama bit his lip as his brain struggled to decipher Blake's motives. The man was obviously unhappy where he was, yet he supposedly stayed for the sake of winning a night with the kitsune. Kurama found it hard to believe that, as beautiful as Blake thought he was, the gaijin was willing to endure all this confusion just for a chance at winning some random bet.

There must be something more to it, but I just can't figure out what. Does Blake have some sort of grudge against me? Or against Hiei for that matter? Hiei was the one that Blake initially challenged to the contest. I only joined as an afterthought. But what could he possibly have against Hiei? What sort of grudge could he have developed between now and the time when we first entered the bar?

Kurama shook his head as all these questions began to make him feel exhausted. His energy was being slowly drained with each new mystery that sprang up. It was becoming harder and harder for him to see a way for this night to end peacefully.

There's not much I can do if Blake is determined to defeat Hiei. Neither of them are the type to lose easily. And once one of them loses…I'll doubt they'll give me up even then. The thought brought a cold chill to Kurama's stomach. Hiei's temper was bad enough without another hothead there to provoke him. If Blake gave the fire demon even the slightest reason to harm him, Hiei would not rest until he'd torn the human limb from limb.

Kurama bit his lip nervously as images of violence and gore flashed rapidly through his mind, each scene more gruesome than the last. He tried to tell himself that he was overreacting, but his instincts would hear none of it.

As soon as a winner was proclaimed, all hell would break loose; Kurama could feel it in his soul. He had to do something to make sure the game ended without declaring an actual winner. Or if a winner was declared, it had to be in such a way that kept the others from interfering.

Another cold chill suddenly slipped up Kurama's spine as he was abruptly struck with a thought. There was one sure-fire way to guarantee the safety of everyone that night, but the requirements for his plan made him feel like retching.

The kitsune's emerald eyes slid over to the face of Hiei, taking in every beautiful detail with the utmost scrutiny. It was the tenderness that he felt for his friend-turned-romantic-pursue that helped strengthen his resolve. He knew what he had to do.

Kurama took a deep, but shaky breath as one thought rang through his mind again and again: In order to save the ones I love, I'll have to forsake my own body.

He would have to give himself to Blake.

To be continued…


	9. Part the Eigth

_Man, this plot has more twists than a basket of curly fries! I made a lot of people angry with the ending of that last chapter, but I guess that's just a sign of good writing. I'm flattered, even as I'm having daggers hurled at my chest (quote from a friend of mine—**Eleventy Nine**. Check out her fics!). Well, I'm sure you're all wondering why Kurama has come to this…conclusion. It'll all be made clear soon. I finally got around to writing out the completed plot for this fic. It should have somewhere around ten chapters. We'll see XD. _

_Disclaimer: .:wracking brain for clever disclaimer:. I don't own it. Yeah, you heard me! Eh, my cleverness has deserted me, the fickle harlot. _

…

Hiei turned his garnet eyes away from the scene before him. He was quickly tiring of this game and knew it showed plainly on his blank face. Keiko had taken another turn and spent the last five minutes futilely wracking her brain for a worthwhile confession. It probably would have gone a lot faster if Yusuke had stopped hounding her to give up every thirty seconds.

Apparently, the dark-haired teen was either utterly convinced that Keiko had lived her life as a saint, or he feared she would reveal something else that the would-be couple had done that he'd rather keep quiet. Keiko seemed to be getting fed up with his pushiness from the livid white color her knuckles had turned as they clenched the empty glass in her hand.

Hiei wouldn't have been surprised if the shot had shattered in her grip.

The lovely fire demon gazed off into the shadows of the bar, wistfully seeking out something to entertain him while he waited for his chance to move. He had little intention of letting this game continue as long as it seemed it would. With six players each having to drink, think, and speak, it had turned into a lengthy process.

Thousands of questions were burning in Hiei's mind, questions that he longed to let loose on the breath-taking kitsune next to him. But these were not questions for the ears of his companions. He needed to get Kurama alone before he could finally ask what he wanted.

Not that that was going to be an easy task. Blake seemed to be doing everything in his power to keep them in the game while simultaneously throwing passes at Kurama every chance he got. The gaijin seemed convinced that eventually his smooth lines and suggestive beauty would win the redhead over.

As ridiculous as Hiei knew it was, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously every time Blake spoke to Kurama. Hiei had never dared to talk with the kitsune so openly, and he had definitely never discussed his feelings. Mostly the two friends would just discuss battle strategies, or Hiei would detail some new torture technique he'd picked up. This was nothing like the way Blake talked to the kitsune.

The gaijin's intention had been clear from the moment he'd appeared, and he'd never once let his goal of winning Kurama fade into the background. Even Hiei had to admire the man's determination, if nothing else.

Hiei wondered for a brief moment what would happen if he made his intentions towards Kurama clear. He knew what he felt for his best friend—had known it for a long time—but never once had the words even come close to crossing his lips. He supposed the kiss he'd shared with Kurama not an hour ago had said plenty, but it still just wasn't definite enough for him. The fire demon felt that as long as he left his relationship with Kurama up in the air, the kitsune could be snatched from him at any moment.

Hiei's garnet eyes darted reflexively to Kurama, as if to see if his friend was still there. The kitsune's chin was resting delicately in his palm as he leaned against the bar. The elegant arch of his neck and back was highlighted by the neon lights of the club. He looked more like a cat perching on the edge of a fence than a demon sitting in some seedy club.

For a moment, Hiei's thoughts flashed to pity as he thought about how his friend had been trapped in this sordid game. The only reason Kurama had agreed to participate in the competition was because Hiei had accepted the terms before the kitsune could protest. Hiei remembered the moment well:

"There's no competition!" Kurama suddenly interrupted, tired of being spoken of as if he couldn't hear a word. "I am not a trophy, and you two are not competing!"

Blake looked thoughtful for a moment. "That's a wonderful point, sweetheart. Maybe we should resolve this in a more refined manner. Instead of standing here and shouting insults back and forth, I propose we hold a contest to decide who is most worthy of our lovely little red-head."

"That's not what I meant, Blake. You—"

"_Deal," Hiei interrupted, surprising Kurama into silence._

Hiei's head shook minutely as he fully realized the mistake he'd made. This entire thing was completely his fault. If he'd been smart, he would have grabbed Kurama by the arm, dragged him out of the bar, and stifled any protest he'd made with the same kind of kiss that he'd given him before. But instead, he'd chosen to face Blake for his own selfish reasons.

Hiei wasn't sure what it was, but something about the gaijin had bothered him from the start. It was more than just the fact that Blake had gotten so close to Kurama so quickly. The blonde man struck a warning bell in Hiei's head, and the fire demon's instincts were not known for being wrong. _Something about him set me off from the moment he approached, and I'll be damned if I'll leave Kurama alone with this man. _

Hiei's eyes again shifted to his best friend, and he was shocked to see a strange gleam had come into the kitsune's emerald eyes. It almost looked as if Kurama had come to some sort of terrible decision. His gaze, while obviously uneasy, was also resolute, as if he had bitter medicine to swallow but had finally convinced himself to do it.

"Kurama," Hiei whispered, much too softly for any of the nearby humans to catch. The kitsune started and glanced over at him before quickly looking away. Hiei's brow furrowed at the guilty look on his friend's face. Whatever was bothering Kurama, it was serious.

"Kurama, you must tell me what's wrong." The kitsune kept his eyes steadfastly down, and he answered, "I have something to tell you; I have something to tell all of you."

With that, he raised his head and cleared his throat, immediately silencing the others around him. Hiei raised a fine eyebrow and waited impatiently for Kurama's announcement, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I'm not sure how to say this," Kurama began, "but I wish to withdraw from the contest."

It took every ounce of Hiei's willpower to keep him from gasping in surprise. _Kurama, what can you be thinking?_

"Kurama, what can you be thinking!" Keiko asked, bringing a bitter smile to Hiei's face.

The kitsune met her brown eyes with a sad look. "I appreciate your concern, but it's really for the best. I wish to leave this competition, and I wish for all of you to join me."

A stunned silence followed the fox demon's announcement. It was a long while before anyone was able to shake themselves out of it. Yusuke recovered first from the surprise and asked, "But…if you withdraw…an' the rest of us withdraw…won't that mean Blake wins?"

Kurama hesitated for a moment and then slowly nodded his head, staring straight down again as the eyes of Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, Hiei, Botan, Yukina, and Genkai all bored into him. Unlike the rest, Blake's eyes were watching Hiei for his reaction, a bold smirk on the gaijin's face. Even more than winning, Blake loved the thought that Kurama had dealt such a blow to his friend's ego completely of his own free will.

"I know none of you will understand this," Kurama whispered so only his friends could hear, "but just know that I have to do this for my own reasons." _I'm doing this for all of you, _Kurama thought. _It's my fault you're all involved in this, so it's my responsibility to keep you safe. This competition can only end in violence at this point, and I refuse to let that happen. I'll keep you all safe—especially Hiei—even if it means giving myself in exchange. _

"Kurama, you're our friend! We won't let you do this!" Keiko insisted. Yusuke chimed in, "Yeah! No one told us what happens if we lose, but from the smirk on that guy's face, it can't be nothin' good!"

"I appreciate your concern, my friends." Kurama's smile became as sharp as a shard of glass. "But you need to understand that I'm asking you to withdraw from the competition for reasons that cannot be explained. Just know that I have my own motivation for doing this, and I stand by it. You'll just have to trust me."

The eyes of everyone in the group darted uneasily to Blake. They all looked as if they'd rather swallow a liter of cyanide than leave Kurama alone with the treacherous man. _They must all sense it, too. _Hiei thought with a satisfied smirk. _Blake is no demon, but there's something fundamentally unsettling about him. Evil lurks in his very aura, human though it is. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a demon for an ancestor. _

"Kurama…" Kuwabara said slowly. "This is your last chance to change your mind. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Kurama hesitated for no more than a split second before nodding his head swiftly. At this, all of Team Urameshi, except for Hiei, got up from their seats at the bar and moved back onto the dance floor, where they rejoined the party after a few moments' indecision.

Kurama watched them leave with a distinctively mournful look on his face, as if he were saying farewell before a trip that could take him from his homeland for years. Hiei watched the kitsune's face with hawk-like ferocity, searching for any sign of regret or uncertainty. The fox's face still held the same look of bitter resolution, however; Hiei was left with no insight into his friend's mind.

"Kurama, I can't understand why you're doing this." It was probably the most open thing Hiei had ever said before in his life. He truly could not understand what was going on in his friend's head. He knew Kurama didn't really want to go home with Blake, so why would the kitsune sacrifice his only chance at salvation?

If the game had lasted a little longer, Hiei might have been able to figure out a plan to rescue them all. There was even a good chance that someone else would win the game, and Kurama would be free to leave. The odds had been stacked against Blake from the very beginning. _I just don't understand. What motive could he possibly have for doing what he did? Kurama…please talk to me…_

Hiei knew Kurama couldn't hear his silent plea, but he somehow felt as if the beautiful kitsune knew what was on his mind nonetheless. Kurama's startling emerald eyes turned to him in a whirl of virulent color.

"Hiei," Kurama whispered, his voice no more than a slither against the fire demon's skin, "I want you to know how much I care about you. I didn't do this for myself; I did this for all the people I love…namely, you."

Before Hiei could digest the meaning behind Kurama's words, the kitsune turned to Blake and said in a voice that was deathly calm, "You've won the contest, Blake-san. That means you're free to do with me as you will. But understand that even if you have won, I'm still a person—not a plaything."

Blake's grin was like the edge of a knife. "I think that's for me to decide, sweetheart." Before Hiei could jump to his feet and pull his katana on Blake, Kurama's arm shot forward and pulled him down, preventing him from decapitating the foreigner for such a flippant remark.

"It's alright, Hiei. He can't do anything to hurt me." Kurama quickly stood from his seat at the bar, waiting for Blake to follow suit. The beautiful blonde did so immediately and offered Kurama his arm. The kitsune hesitated for no more than a second before wrapping his arm around Blake's and allowing himself to be led away from Hiei.

Kurama shot one final look at the fire demon he'd left behind, wishing with all his heart that he could leave with Hiei instead. The black-haired man stared apathetically forward, but Kurama could see a raging whirl of emotions in his eyes that he would never dare express aloud.

Kurama sighed softly. I'm sorry my friend…my love. It was the only way I could keep you safe.

To be continued…

_Jeez, what emotional turmoil. I'm starting to realize that I have a tendency to put my characters through hell. Good, all the angst freaks out there will just love me. Anyway, sorry this update took so long, but if you've been checking my livejournal you'll know why. There's a link to it on my bio, under 'homepage', if you didn't already know. Remember to review, or the next chapter will be long in coming X3. _


	10. Part the Ninth

_Gah, it's been way too long since my last update! Sorry for the delay, folks, but the second semester of school just ended and I've been studying like crazy for exam week. Want to know about the three Punic Wars? I can officially tell you all about them. Thank you very much, AP World History. That exam was the worst…_

_Anyway, enough with the mindless rambling. We're here to discuss slash, not angry Carthaginians. This story will be over within a one or two chapters, depending on length, but that's a good thing, since I have an idea for a new Kurama/Hiei story. Hopefully it will be as widely appreciated as this one. _

_Thanks again to all my reviewers and to all those who have been keeping up with my livejournal and all the news I've posted there. Another link will be given at the bottom. This time around, you really need to check it out. Major changes have been made to this story, and if you don't keep up, you may be lost come my next update. Also, I'll be posting a link to several yaoi-based forums that I made. They're good fun when it's 3AM and you want to debate the inner workings of an alleged homosexual relationship between two demons. Seriously, check 'em out. _

_Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, don't ask, don't tell. _

_**Warning: A touch of non-consensual activities in this chapter. **Nothing too major, but if you're weak of stomach you might want to skip over that part. You'll know when it's coming. _

…

"You're going to remember this night for the rest of your life," Blake whispered seductively in Kurama's ear, but the kitsune felt more disturbed than aroused. He fought the urge to look back over his shoulder and see if Hiei was still sitting at the bar. He was sure the koorime was at this moment trying to keep a look of utter disbelief from his face. Kurama had really done it. He'd seriously just walked away with a complete stranger.

_I had no choice, _Kurama chanted to himself, gritting his teeth. _I had no choice. I had to protect my friends. Starting a fight in a human bar would only draw more unwanted attention than is wise. I won't have Hiei spilling ningen blood on my account. _Kurama's green eyes flickered over to the blond man currently tugging him by the arm towards the bar's exit. _But what will it cost me to keep them safe? _

He honestly had no clue what Blake had in store for him. Surely the human didn't expect Kurama to shack up with him in some hotel? Or did he? Blake could argue that he'd won that right by winning the drinking contest, but he'd only won through the forfeit of all the other players; was the bet still on? Kurama refused to allow himself to be further swept up in this foolish competition.

He would just have to hope that Blake would go easy on him.

Chilly night air hit Kurama's cheeks sharply as Blake swung that bar exit open, waving the kitsune out. The red-haired demon was reluctant to leave the warmth and safety of the bar, but the look in Blake's eyes said he had no objections to dragging Kurama out by force. He took a step outside, wishing for a streetlamp…car headlights…anything to break the eerie darkness around them.

Hiroshima might as well have been a ghost city this time of night, especially in the rough neighborhood that housed the little bar. The few people that bothered to scratch a living out of this desolate area had long since barred their windows for the night. Kurama crossed his arms over his chest for warmth and gazed up at the ink-black night sky, wishing for even a single star to shine through the darkness.

A small noise behind him startled Kurama into whirling around. His emerald eyes found Blake's silhouette easily in the dark; the blond had turned the corner into the alleyway next to the bar and was now leaning against the cold brick. Kurama hesitated for a fraction of a second before making his way over to the beautiful man.

"Blake, we shouldn't be out here in the cold. Why don't we go back inside and—" The second the kitsune was within reach, Blake suddenly grabbed his forearm and pulled him into a deep kiss. Kurama was too shocked at first to notice anything more than the closeness of Blake's body and the heat of his lips. Electricity seemed to be charging through his veins as the foreigner thoroughly kissed him.

It was a moment before Kurama could sort through his thoughts well enough to make them coherent. _Am I actually…enjoying this? _A shiver of fear ran down his spine as Kurama wondered if his body would betray him, but then a brief image flashed before his closed eyes. Hiei's face, pale and smooth as ivory, came into the kitsune's mind, his red eyes shinning like molten flames. The sight jolted Kurama out of his shock. _That's why I didn't pull away; I'm still thinking of Hiei. _

Kurama tore himself from Blake's grasp, panting and gasping. "Don't ever touch me like that again, Blake. I only think of Hiei when you do." A snarl sounded from somewhere nearby, and Kurama assumed it was from Blake.

"We had an agreement, you little whore. You're mine for the rest of the night."

Kurama bit his lip to keep himself from turning on the human as his patience ran dry. He shook his head slowly, still bent over, though his breathing had returned to normal. "I don't belong to anyone, least of all you. You only won that drinking contest because I forced my friends to forfeit. You had help, and that means you didn't really win."

"I beg to differ." Blake's voice had become as cold as the air around them. Kurama fought the urge to look at the beautiful man; it would only egg him on to know he had Kurama's attention. "I don't care how I won or because of whom. Winning is winning, and if that little black-haired runt had won I'm sure you would have handed yourself over like the hunk of meat you are."

Kurama flinched at the man's harsh words. _It's not true. I would never just hand myself over like that… _But even as the thought entered his head, another image of Hiei appeared as if to counteract it. Kurama knew in that moment that what he felt for Hiei was more than just a simple crush. He desired the demon, body and soul. As much as he wanted to deny it, if Kurama had the chance he would offer himself willingly to his best friend.

Kurama hung his head in a mixture of confusion and shame. He could remember just a few hours earlier when he'd almost fallen for Blake's charms, appalled as he'd been by them. He could remember how much he'd wanted to be wanted. _Do I really have feelings for Hiei, or am I just looking for anyone who will accept me? _

Before Kurama could answer his own silent question, a pair of strong arms suddenly seized him again. Kurama gasped as he realized it was not Blake holding him this time. A figure had appeared from the dark as if by magic, and another figure quickly followed it, helping to hold a struggling Kurama against the alley wall.

"Aki, Tohru, you're timing is amazing as always," Blake purred, smirking at Kurama. The kitsune turned his eyes to his captors and immediately recognized the two men as the ones who had accompanied Blake when he'd first arrived. Kurama's eyes widened as realization dawned on him.

"You were waiting here the whole time!" Kurama cried out, too stunned to even continue struggling. "Blake told you to wait outside while he focused on luring me out!" Neither of the two men answered his question, but Kurama noticed that they both looked painfully sober compared to how they'd been in the bar. _Their drunk act must have been a ploy to make them seem harmless. I dismissed them almost immediately, since it seemed they could pose no threat. _

Kurama shook his head, as the full weight of Blake's plan seemed to settle on his chest.

"Have you figured it out yet, honey bunch?" Blake's voice had been coated in warm oil. "Our bet wasn't the only one going on here tonight. My friends and I like to play a little game with the people who come to this hellhole of a bar. Every now and then, when we see a pretty one, we like to see how long it takes for them to fall for my charms. Then, once we've pulled them away from their friends, we get to have a little fun for the rest of the night." Blake licked his lips, smirking. "The game is even more entertaining when they show up with someone else. I do love tearing devoted couples apart."

Kurama's heart had gone dead cold in his chest. _Poor Hiei…what have I done to him? I made us both fall right into Blake's sick hands. That's why we kept sensing something wrong with Blake! He was plotting against us all along._

Once again, Kurama tried to free himself from the grips of Aki and Tohru. He had the strength to do so, thanks to his demon side, but that would most likely result in him ripping the two ningen-tachi apart. His human form just wasn't strong enough to battle them both off at once, and he couldn't use his demon powers without causing some serious damage. Not to mention, the effects of the drinking contest were still coursing through his veins. Kurama's vision and reaction times were definitely not at their best.

Before he could come up with another plan, Blake moved in on him, their faces nearly touching.

"There's one question left that I'm surprised you haven't asked, sweetheart," Blake cooed in Kurama's ear, making him shiver with unwanted pleasure. Even if he detested Blake, the man was still an obviously skilled lover.

"And what question might that be?" Kurama asked through gritted teeth, dreading the answer.

"You are yet to ask me what I plan to do to you." As he said this, Blake lifted one hand and brushed it against Kurama's cheek.

The kitsune was about to protest this contact, when suddenly Blake's hand slid lower. It trailed down the curve of his neck and all the way past his collarbone and chest. Kurama watched the hand's slow journey as if it were happening to someone else, and he was dimply aware of Aki and Tohru watching as raptly as he.

Blake stepped closer to Kurama; his hand stopped at the kitsune's waist long enough to undo the button on his pants. The fox's nose was now filled with his scent; his heart fluttered with panic as he wondered what Blake would do next. Kurama jerked with surprise as hot kisses were placed along his collarbone and neck. Aki and Tohru had apparently decided to join in on the fun. _What are they going to do to me? _Kurama wondered frantically.

He got his answer when Blake's hand suddenly slipped into his pants and ghosted over a part of him that had never before been touched by someone else. Kurama's breath hitched in his throat as a sick sense of pleasure washed through him. His body liked the feel of Blake's skilled hands stroking him, but his mind wanted to vomit at the mere thought.

Kurama shut his eyes and tried to close out the feeling of the three men molesting him, but his shame would not let him escape. He was acutely aware of every caress, kiss, and moan that came from his assailants. He could feel his clothes being pulled from his body; he could feel the arousal of the men around him as they pressed their bodies roughly to his, seeking any pleasure they could get from his still form.

"Stop…" Kurama gasped heavily. "You can't do this…I don't want you to…"

"It doesn't seem that way to us," Blake purred, rubbing Kurama's arousal harder until the kitsune was forced to moan. Disgust washed through Kurama like a heavy, oppressive blanket. He couldn't stand himself for enjoying this when he was supposedly in love with another, even if he wasn't enjoying it by choice.

Kurama was one second away from calling on his rose whip and ending this humiliation—regardless of the consequences—when a shadow was suddenly cast over them all. Kurama's eyes popped open just in time to watch as Aki and Tohru were suddenly thrown off him. Blake backed away slowly, eyes open in bewilderment, before he turned on his heel and ran as fast as he could in another direction. Aki and Tohru weren't long in following him once they'd recovered.

Kurama stood there, dazed and disgusted with himself, trying to pull his clothes back together from where his would-be rapists had been yanking them off. His eyes searched the darkness for the source of whatever had saved him. Finally, they settled on one patch of shadow that was slightly darker than the rest.

"H-Hiei?" Kurama whispered, knowing he needn't speak any louder for the demon to hear him.

The koorime stepped forward from the shadows, watching Kurama carefully. The fox tried to force himself to meet Hiei's gaze, but after what had just happened he couldn't even lift his head.

"Hiei, I'm so sorry." His voice trembled as he spoke. "I didn't want them to touch me that way…I just kept thinking of you…" Kurama stopped speaking as he realized what he'd said. There could be no more mistaking his feelings towards the other demon.

Kurama watched his friend anxiously for any sign of a reaction. Hiei remained utterly silent but began sauntering towards the kitsune. Dark red eyes became locked on emerald ones as the two demons considered each other.

Hiei didn't stop approaching until he was directly before Kurama, as close as Blake had been a few moments before. Kurama shivered at the strange feelings flooding through him. As much as Blake had been skilled enough to bring him pleasure, Hiei seemed to be able to do it just from being near him. _I guess that's the difference between forced love and real love, _Kurama thought, smiling softly as he caught the twinkle in his best friend's eyes.

"Hiei…I love you." Kurama jumped at these words, belatedly realizing that they'd come from him. Hiei remained silent for a long moment, and Kurama began to fear that his friend's answer would not be the one he wanted.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the koorime's face broke into a grin. He leaned forward and captured Kurama's lips with his own. The kitsune gasped as Hiei pressed their bodies together, molding them into one. A new pleasure coursed through him, one that was infinitely sweeter than he'd ever thought possible. Before he could realize what he was doing, he grabbed Hiei's hand and pulled him away from the bar.

"Where are we going?" Hiei asked in a husky voice, sending chills down Kurama's spine. The kitsune smiled at him seductively. "I've decided you were the winner of our drinking contest. That means you get to take me home for the night."

To be continued…

_What an evil place to leave the chapter off. Sorry, kids, you'll just have to wait until next time, but lemony yaoi-goodness is always worth the wait. If I get enough reviews, I could be persuaded to post the next chapter a little sooner…_

_Here are links to my livejournal and my forums. _

Livejournal: http/ www . livejournal . com/users/hieiaijin1410/

Forums: http/ www . fanfiction . net/f/671396/

_Be sure to check them out. Spaces need to be removed._


	11. Part the Last

_Last chapter, people, last chapter! Woo-hoo! Man, I remember when I thought this fic was going to be maybe four or five parts long. Why do my stories always end up being longer than I predict? I guess I just get too into them. Anyways, I've kept y'all waiting long enough. Here it is: the ever-so-sumptuous lemon chapter. Be sure to review, or I may never post the other Hiei/Kurama fics that I have planned. Also, links will be provided at the end to my livejournal and my forums. Be sure to check those out as well. _

_**Warning: **If you're not into yaoi, don't read this chapter (though if you aren't, I'm not sure why you read the nine chapters that came before this.) _

_Disclaimer: For the final time, I'm sad to say, I do NOT own YYH in any way, shape, or form. So sit down, shut up, and enjoy the yaoi loving. _

…

The dry click of Kurama's house key in his lock sounded like music to the fox's ears. He'd worried that he wouldn't be able to open his door in the dark without fumbling around for at least five minutes. Most of all, he'd worried that if he took too long to get inside, Hiei might change his mind and disappear. The fire demon had been rather impatient with Kurama during their trip to his house. He didn't seem to understand the concept of waiting until they could get some privacy. He'd been acting as if he wanted to take Kurama right there in the street.

The soft kisses placed on his neck and smooth hands running over his body hadn't helped Kurama's coordination in the slightest. He was surprised that he'd even managed to stay on his feet, let alone lead them both back to his house. His mother had decided to catch a late dinner and a movie with some of her girlfriends and had informed Kurama earlier that she would be out all night. That was the only reason the fox had agreed to go to the bar with Yusuke and the others; it'd seemed like more fun than staying home alone.

The second Kurama pushed his front door open, Hiei grabbed him by the hand and hauled him inside. The entryway closed behind them with a hollow bang, and before the kitsune could say a word, Hiei's lips were on his. It was only the third time they'd ever kissed: once during the drinking contest, once outside the bar, and now here. Kurama could feel the bones in his legs melting as his best friend's lips caressed his. How long had he waited to feel him like this?

Hiei pushed him against the door they'd just entered, holding Kurama there with the weight of his body. Even though the koorime was several inches shorter than his partner, it was obvious he had no problem with taking control of the situation. Kurama sighed happily and let his friend have dominance, at least for now. He slid his hands around to the back of Hiei's neck and kissed the demon harder.

"Hiei," Kurama murmured against his soon-to-be lover's mouth. He was surprised at the urgency with which the fire demon kissed him. He'd never thought his friend to be the passionate sort, nor the kind to rush something as important as this. They'd just recently figured out their feelings for each other; weren't they moving too quickly?

"Hiei, stop for a second." Kurama pulled away reluctantly, still drunk with the feel of Hiei's soft lips against his. "Why are we going so fast? We've both been drinking tonight; I don't think we should make this decision now."

Kurama started slightly as Hiei suddenly placed a finger on his lips. The fire demon's red eyes met his with a look that was utterly unreadable.

"Kurama," Hiei whispered, sending a shiver down the fox's spine, "you don't know how long I've been waiting to do this with you. You may think all of this is new, but it's been apparent to me for the longest time. I've been in love with you since the beginning; I just didn't know what to call it before. Part of me was in denial, but that part is gone now. I want to be with you tonight more than anything else in the world."

Kurama had to struggle to hold back the blush in his cheeks at the koorime's heart-felt words. He'd never heard such sincerity from him before. But still, even if Hiei was sure of what he wanted, was Kurama? Hiei seemed to sense his uncertainty, since he pulled back and gave the kitsune some space. "If you don't think you're ready, I'm not going to force you. We can pick this up another time."

Kurama was suddenly hit with the crushing fear that Hiei might leave him alone. Without even thinking, he reached out and grabbed Hiei to him, kissing the top of the demon's spiky black head. Hiei looked startled for a moment, then settled into Kurama's tight grasp, nuzzling into his love's neck.

"I've made up my mind," Kurama whispered, breathing in Hiei's smell. "I want to be with you, too. I love you. I want to give you proof of that."

Hiei tilted his head up, and their lips met tentatively. They both suddenly realized their own inexperience, and there was a moment of awkwardness before they settled back into their kiss. Kurama gasped slightly as he felt Hiei's hands tangle in his long hair, showing a hint of the demon's lust. The fox darted his tongue lightly across his partner's lower lip, and he was delighted when Hiei opened his mouth and allowed him access. He slipped his tongue into Hiei's mouth and reveled in how sweet he tasted.

The fire demon let his own tongue roll across Kurama's, experimenting with the new sensations it created. This was uncharted territory to them both, and the kitsune had a feeling they were going to have fun testing the waters together.

Kurama pulled away again and led Hiei upstairs to his bedroom. The kitsune was suddenly grateful he was as organized as he was. No dirty clothing or loose papers cluttered his neat quarters, though his bed had been left unmade. Luckily though, the sight of Kurama's tousled sheets seemed to spur Hiei on. The koorime closed the door behind them and grabbed the fox's hand before shoving him onto the bed with mock roughness.

Kurama propped himself up on his elbows and watched as Hiei stood before him and peeled off his black shirt. The fire demon's exposed skin was smooth, toned, and covered in a thin sheen of sweat from both the hurried trip here and the groping they'd done earlier. It was all Kurama could do to keep himself from hyperventilating at the sight. He swooned slightly as Hiei leaned over him, undoing the buttons on the kitsune's shirt with one hand while the other cupped his chin and brought their lips together again.

Kurama let himself fall back as Hiei climbed over him, straddling his hips. He let out a broken moan as the fire demon bucked slightly forward, grinding their groins together. Nimble fingers slid his loose shirt from his shoulders, and a tantalizing tongue wove its way around his mouth. Kurama thought he was just about ready to faint from the pleasure washing through him. Hiei, apparently, felt the same way, since he pulled away for a moment and panted heavily as he fought to catch his breath.

Kurama took this opportunity to start working loose the belt around the koorime's waist. He could feel Hiei's eyes watching his hands move and could tell the sight aroused him. By the time Kurama managed to work the belt loose, Hiei looked ready for more. With a flash of black movement, the fire demon tore his pants off altogether and somehow managed to take Kurama's with them. The kitsune blushed as he realized neither of them had bothered to wear underwear that night, almost as if in preparation for this moment.

Before Kurama could say another word, Hiei grabbed his biceps and pushed him down on the bed, capturing his lips again in a smoldering kiss. The fire demon began his rocking motion again, forcing Kurama to moan into his mouth. _When the hell did Hiei get so good at this? _Kurama thought in a haze of frenzied passion. He knew for a fact Hiei had never been with another person before, so how did he know exactly what to do to make Kurama's nerves tingle? _I think I've let him have control long enough. _

With one swift movement, Kurama wrapped a leg around Hiei, pushed his shoulder back, and spun the demon under him. Hiei let out a gasp of mingled surprise and pleasure, as he suddenly found himself looking up into Kurama's blazing green eyes. The cute, baffled expression on his face made Kurama want to ravage him even more.

The kitsune went straight for Hiei's neck, nipping gently at the sensitive skin and licking along his jaw. The fire demon moaned softly and threw his head back, giving Kurama better access to his sweet flesh. The eagerness with which the stoic demon gave in to Kurama spurred the fox on. He laid his body flat along Hiei's, every part of them touching as closely as possible. The silky feel of bare skin on bare skin sent shudders through them both.

Kurama began licking a hot line down Hiei's chest, savoring the fire demon's sweet moans as they filled the air. His hands traveled up and down the koorime's sides as Kurama continued to kiss lower and lower, letting the natural lines on his lover's body guide him to his destination.

Hiei's hands came out of nowhere to tangle in his hair, and when Kurama looked up he nearly swooned at the exquisite look of pleasure on Hiei's face. He'd never seen the fire demon's face contorted into such excruciating ecstasy before. Kurama knew his lover needed more and was glad to give it to him. He felt Hiei's hands clench nervously in his hair as his breath tickled the place where the koorime most desired attention. With a final look at his lover, Kurama bent down and swallowed Hiei whole.

Next thing he knew, Hiei had sat bolt upright and was holding Kurama's head in his lap like it was the most important thing in the world, which to him it probably was. Kurama shivered with excitement at the response he'd won from the apathetic demon. It gave him more pleasure than anything else they'd done that night. He began sucking softly, trying to calm his partner down after his initial outburst, but the fire demon seemed to be enjoying himself more and more by the second. His moans got continuously louder until Kurama began to worry they would disturb the neighbors.

Finally, the kitsune gave up altogether on trying to contain Hiei's enthusiasm and sucked on him powerfully. Hiei responded by clenching his hands into a death grip in Kurama's hair, obviously needing to anchor himself to the world. Kurama could tell that his lover wouldn't last much longer and began moving faster, hoping to bring him to climax in the most pleasurable way possible. Much to his surprise, Hiei released his grip on Kurama's hair and pulled the kitsune's head up.

"Not yet," he panted, as he pressed his cheek tenderly to the fox's. "I'm not leaving you out of this." Kurama grinned at both the warmth the demon was showing him and the stubborn lust that insisted they both enjoy themselves. Kurama kissed Hiei lightly and surrendered control once again, wondering what the demon had in mind. Hiei climbed on top of him, never breaking their kiss. Kurama was expecting Hiei to do something similar to what he himself had been doing before, but the koorime surprised him by reaching down and spreading the fox's legs.

Before Kurama could even let out a gasp of surprise, Hiei's hand slipped under him, tickling his entrance. Kurama moaned uncertainly at the new sensations, and this moan deepened when Hiei slipped a finger inside him. The strange and nearly painful feelings took a few minutes to go away, all the while Hiei's tongue remained firmly in Kurama's mouth, tantalizing him. When Hiei's fingers finally found the spot that made his lover jerk with surprised pleasure and moan even louder than before, he knew the fox was ready for him.

Cool fingers soothed Kurama's flaming cheeks as Hiei positioned himself at his entrance. The demon's blood red eyes held a question in them, and Kurama answered without hesitation, "I'm ready." With that, the fire demon slid slowly in, his teeth gritted in an effort to contain the pleasure flooding through him. The feeling of his body connecting with that of his lover was infinitely sweeter than he'd ever thought possible. There was no way to describe the utter ecstasy flooding through him. Even better were the moans and sighs that came from Kurama as Hiei set a fast past, unable to contain himself anymore.

The two demons became frenzied in their passion, losing themselves completely in each other. Kurama gripped Hiei's shoulders as hard as he could as the smaller demon thrust into him. He'd never felt anything like this in his entire life. His mouth found Hiei's in the fury of their lovemaking, and both were quick to display their carnal demon nature with bites and licks and moans.

Heat began pooling in Kurama's lower stomach, and from the erratic way that Hiei was pounding into him, he could tell they were both near their peaks. Kurama spread his legs wider and held on to Hiei as hard as he could, throwing his head back and moaning as he waited for the pleasure in his body to spill forth.

Hiei wanted to draw out their lovemaking for as long as he could, but his body had other plans. The pleasure building up in him would soon prove to be too much, and Hiei wanted to climax with his lover. He focused the last of his energy on thrusting into Kurama as deeply as he could, ensuring that they would both be overwhelmed with ecstasy at the same time. Kurama suddenly let out a cry and convulsed under him, going rigid a second later as a look of utter euphoria clouded his features. The sight of his partner's climax was exactly what Hiei needed to send him over the edge, and a moment later he was climaxing as well.

Mingled shouts and moans filled the air as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over them both. Their limbs tangled in each other, and sweat dripped from one body to the next. They could no longer tell what belonged to whom, nor did they care in the slightest. When the aftershocks of their pleasure finally faded away, Hiei slid slowly out of Kurama and lay next to him, unsure of what to say.

Kurama pulled the demon closer to him, comforted by the warmth of his body.

"Hiei, I love you. You know that, right?"

The fire demon placed light kisses on both of the kitsune's closed eyelids. "Yes, Kurama, I know. I love you more than anything in the world."

Both demons grew silent for a moment, and then Kurama said, "I'm glad we did this, Hiei. I don't know what I would have done if I'd never figured out my feelings for you."

Hiei smirked. "You would have been very lonely and eventually would have gotten yourself about twenty cats to keep you company."

Kurama let out a surprised laugh as he realized Hiei was attempting humor. A lot had certainly changed in one night. The fox suddenly climbed on top of Hiei and gave the demon a feigned menacing look. "I suggest you take that back, koorime."

Hiei grinned lazily up at him, sensing the kitsune's game. "And what will you do if I don't, koibito?" Kurama was temporarily thrown by Hiei's intimate new nickname for him, but he quickly recovered and said, "Don't think that just because you were dominant tonight you get to let your mouth run off with you. That won't last for very long."

Hiei raised an amused eyebrow. "And what do you mean by that?"

"This." Kurama leaned hungrily down and captured Hiei's mouth with his. The fire demon let out a startled moan and sank submissively into Kurama's powerful kiss.

The fox could already feel them both becoming aroused again. "This time around," he whispered silkily in Hiei's ear as he trailed cool fingers down the demon's body, "I'll be the one making love to you."

The end.

_Woot! Finally, the saga that is 'A Tale of Two Demons' comes to a close. I hope I have fulfilled everything that I promised in my summary (i.e: bar fights, sexy foreigners, yaoi loving, et cetera.) And I hope that every one of you that bothered to read this fic all the way through will leave me a review as a sign of parting. Did you love it? Did you hate it? I'd really like to know. Links below._

Livejournal: http/ www . livejournal . com/users/hieiaijin1410/

Forums: http/ www . fanfiction . net/f/671396/

_Be sure to check these out. Spaces need to be removed._

_Ja mata, my beautiful fans! I'll see you during my next Hiei/Kurama fic._


	12. Important Update!

The day has finally arrived. **My original m/m romance novel is available for purchase!**

Please allow me a moment to FREAK THE FUCK OUT BECAUSE OMG I'M AN ACTUAL WRITER.

I'm updating a bunch of my fics so that hopefully everyone who's been asking about it will see this. The e-book version of my novel is now available, and the actual, physical book version will be available shortly. I've had a few International fans inquire about whether or not the book is available to them, and I can confirm that it is. You can get it anywhere in the world!

So, my novel is a contemporary slash romance where a young college student by the name of Nikolas is forced to transfer to a private, Catholic university under mysterious circumstances. Despite his desire to remain innocuous, he quickly gets drawn into a dangerous game of seduction played by the three most popular boys at the school, namely the "king" of the Academy, Seth Prinsen. Sexiness ensues.

**If you would like to read my book, here's a link for where you can find it:**

w w w dot lessthanthreepress dot com

I'm listed under the pen name Quinn Anderson, and the book is obviously called In Excess. It's in their Contemporary section.

Sorry I can't link you straight to the book, but FFN's spam filters have become impossible to get around lately. Anyways, remove the spaces, and that will take you to my book. There is also an un-spaced link to it on my profile, and you can always just google "In Excess Quinn Anderson", and it'll pop up.

One final thing, **I'm thinking of changing my pen name on this site from HieiAijin1410 to Quinn Anderson.** I mean, I picked this name when I was 15, and now I'm about to be 23, and my life is in a completely different place. Plus, now that I'm a professional, I want to go by my professional name. However, I'm worried that if I change it now after so many years, it will confuse the people who know me by that name. What do you guys think?_  
_

**As added incentive for picking up a copy of my book, **if you send me a print screen of your receipt or some other proof of purchase along with a fan fiction idea, I'll write it for you! Obviously this is time-contentious, as I have no idea how many requests I'll get, but that's going to be my way of thanking all of you for supporting my writing career.

Wish me luck!


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